Philip Mede

[15] From his will it appears that the surviving fine double monument,[16] known as the "Mede Chantry (chapel)", at the east end of the North aisle of the choir of St. Mary Redcliffe Church, was erected on his order.

[1] The monument comprises a beautiful heavily canopied double altar-tomb standing against the north wall of which the westernmost contains the recumbent effigies of a man and his wife, their heads resting upon cushions supported by angels.

The man is bare-headed, his hair combed back, and is clad in a sleeveless mantle, from which emerge the arms and cuff of an undergown, a scarf hangs from his left shoulders, and a leathern gypciere from his girdle, his feet resting upon a couchant dog.

His wife wears a broad fillet across her forehead, her head-dress falling back, a tight-fitting gown with cuffs at the wrists, and a short girdle, her pointed shoes enveloped in the folds of her dress, resting upon two little dogs.

[1] On the wall behind the effigies is an heraldic escutcheon displaying the arms of Mede: Gules, a chevron ermine between three trefoils slipped argent, and upon a fillet of brass along its front is an incomplete Latin inscription: ... predicti Thoma(e) Mede, ac ter maioris istius villae Bristolliae, qui ob(ii)t 20 die mensis Decembris Anno D(omi)ni 1475 quoram animabus propicietur Deus, Amen[1] ("... of the foresaid Thomas Mede and thrice Mayor of this town of Bristol, who died on the 20th day of the month of December in the year of our Lord 1475, on the souls of whom may God look upon favourably, Amen").

The other compartment remains empty, but has the monumental brass of his son Richard Mede affixed to the rear wall (see above).

Above both compartments is a handsome continuous canopy of rich stone carving, supported by demi-angels bearing open books, and wearing upright caps with hexagonal flowers upon their heads.