Page "Iron Acton" Paragraph 14
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The altar at the east end of the south aisle forms the focal point of the so-called Poyntz Chapel, which is not a separate chamber or structure.
This is not to be confused with the Poyntz Chapel ( formally termed " Chapel of Jesus ") built by Sir Robert Poyntz ( d. 1520 ) within The Gaunt's Chapel, Bristol.
Against the south wall is a 16th c. canopied tomb erected for a now unknown member of the Poyntz family.
Of the three heraldic escutcheons comprised within the structure two are now blank and one bears the arms of the Acton family, from which the Poyntz's inherited the manor, A fess indented.
Marking-off the Poyntz Chapel from the chancel is a pair of stone effigies set on slabs at floor level.
The knight is believed to represent Sir John Poyntz ( d. 1376 ), son of Sir Nicholas Poyntz ( d. 1311 ) feudal baron of Curry Mallet, Somerset, by Matilda Acton, his 2nd wife, daughter and eventual heiress of Sir John Acton ( d. 1312 ) of Iron Acton.
Buried beneath an incised slab set into the floor in the centre of the Poyntz Chapel is Robert Poyntz ( 1359 – 1439 ) between his two wives, 1st, Ann ( family unknown ), 2nd ( marr.
1389 ) Katherine FitzNichol, daughter of Sir Thomas FitzNichol of Hill, Gloucestershire, many times MP for Gloucestershire.
He was steward between 1405-1416 of the estates of Anne of Gloucester ( d. 1438 ), dowager Countess of Stafford in Glos., Hants., and Wilts.
and by 1439 was steward of the manor of her son Humphrey Stafford, 6th Earl of Stafford ( d. 1460 ) at Thornbury Castle.
Robert's slab depicts a knight, almost life-size, wearing a helmet with the body in plate armour with a skirt of traces.
He wears a gorget with slight traces of chain-mail, round shoulder pieces, brasserts on the arms, gauntlets with pointed cuffs, legs in plate.
The ledger line contains the following inscription: Here lyeth Roberd poyntz Lord of Iren Acton and thys stepyl maked who deyde the fiftene day of Junne the year of oure Lord MCCCCXX ...( last XIX worn away ) of whos sowle God have mercy Amen.
The church tower itself appears to date from before the time of Robert, so surely cannot have been " the stepyl " referred to.
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