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Piers Shonks
Sir Piers Shonks was a legendary figure in the village of Brent Pelham in Hertfordshire, England, whose tomb is within the north wall of the village's church. According to local legend, Shonks slew a dragon that was causing havoc in the district and later cheated the Devil from claiming his soul by being buried within the walls of the church. Legend Legend has it that Sir Piers Shonks was the local lord of the manor; the earthworks of his moated manor house can still be seen to the east of Brent Pelham, known locally as Shonkes. According to the legend, Shonks returned from a holiday to discover that a fearsome dragon had moved into the Brent Pelham area and was wreaking havoc on the district, with all of the local crops burnt and ruined. The dragon was said to have created its lair in a cave under the roots of a great and ancient Taxus baccata, yew tree that once stood on the boundary of two fields, known as Great Pepsells and Little Pepsells fields. The dragon was said to be t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brent Pelham
Brent Pelham is a village and civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district, in the county of Hertfordshire, England, and situated approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of Buntingford. It is one of the three Pelhams, with Stocking Pelham and Furneux Pelham. It shares a parish council with Meesden. The parish church of St Mary the Virgin dates from the 14th century. It contains a tomb of earlier date, likely the 1200s, on which have been carved the name Piers Shonks and the date, 1086. By tradition, Shonks was a local lord who killed a dragon or, less commonly, a giant. The emblems of the Four Evangelists – angel, eagle, lion, and bull – have been carved around a dragon's mouth. The church is part of a benefice with Anstey, Brent Pelham, Hormead, Meesden and Wyddial. Near St Mary's church are ancient stocks which could accommodate up to three people. A derelict windmill survives in the village. There is a Royal Observer Corps observer post just outside the village, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |