John Waldron

Chest tomb of John Waldron, St Peter's Church, Tiverton, showing his merchant's mark and the date "1579". On the lower level are shown the initials "RW" for his wife Richord Waldron's Almshouses, Wellbrook Street, Tiverton. The chapel is at the west end of the building (right) Ledger stone of John Waldron in St Peter's Church, Tiverton, inscribed: "Heare lyeth John Waldron Marchant of Tiverton founder of the almshouses in West x which deccessed the xviii daye of July An(n)o D(omi)ni 1579" John Waldron (died 18 July 1579) of Tiverton in Devon, England, was a wealthy merchant who founded and endowed the surviving grade II* listed "Waldron's Almshouses" and Chapel on the outskirts of Tiverton. His elaborately sculpted chest tomb survives in St Peter's Church, Tiverton, at the east end of the south aisle, still in an entirely Gothic style (long after the Renaissance style entered England) with a Gothic black-letter inscription on the ledger stone on top, and showing on the base Gothic pinnacled niches and within quatrefoils escutcheons displaying his merchant's mark. His name is sometimes confused with "Walrond" a prominent and ancient gentry family long seated at Bradfield House in the parish of Uffculme, Devon, about 6 miles east of Tiverton. The spelling "Waldron" is clearly shown incised in Gothic letters on the ledger stone on top of his chest tomb.

Marriage

He married Richarda Prowse (d.1604), a daughter of John Prowse (d.1586) the elder, of Tiverton, Clothier and a sister of Robert Prowse (d.1591) of Barnstaple, Merchant and Mayor of Barnstaple in 1588. of Tiverton Castle. She survived her husband and soon after his death remarried on 4 May 1580 (as his 3rd wife) Roger Gifford (1533-1603) of Tiverton Castle, whose mural monument survives in St Peter's Church, Tiverton, on the north wall of the chancel. Roger Gifford was a younger son of the ancient gentry family of Gifford of Brightley, Chittlehamton, Devon, who following the fall of the Courtenay Earls of Devon (heirs of the de Redvers Earls of Devon), purchased their seat of Tiverton Castle from their heirs. Richarda was buried at Tiverton on 28 December 1604.

Waldron's Almshouses By a deed poll dated 19 October 1577 "John Waldron of Tiverton, Merchant" gave to the two churchwardens of St Peter's Church, Tiverton, and to eight further trustees, an annuity of £24, payable quarterly out of his manor of Daccombe (near Paignton ) and from all his lands in Tiverton. They were to distribute it weekly to "eight of the most needy, poor, impotent and indigent persons of the town of Tiverton, by them to be appointed", to every one 12 pence per week. "The poor persons should be entitled for life, unless they should be guilty of any crime or be of dissolute life". The remainder was to go to the trustees as remuneration. The town has since greatly expanded to surround the site, and "Wellbrook Street" now runs past the Almshouses. A large modern complex of charitable housing was built in the 20th century to the rear of the Almshouses by the "Tiverton Almshouse Trust". The upper floor is reached by an external staircase leading to a covered gallery landing. In 1847 they were in "a most dilapidated state", as described by Harding in his History of Tiverton. They were restored in 1987, ""John Waldron merchant and Richord his wife builded this house in the time of their life. At such tyme as the walls were fourtyne foote hye. He departed this world even the eyghtynth of July 1579".

"Since youth and life doth passe awaye, And death at hand to end our dayes, Let us do so that men may saye: We spent our goods God to preys. He that upon the poore doth spende The goods that he hath heare, To God agen the same doth send And paye the same with great increase".

Above the lintels of the doors on the ground floor are painted the following three sentences: "Depart thy goods whyle thou hast tyme; For after thy death they are not thyne; God sav Quen Elizabeth".

Chapel The chapel occupies the western part of the building. It has a projecting porch to the west with a moulded doorway with carved spandrels. The porch is surmounted by a stone parapet, profusely decorated with relief sculpture, including ships and elephants, indicating Waldron's membership of the Guinea Company and his involvement in the Ivory trade.

Death He died on 18 July 1579, as is recorded on the sculpted inscription on his almshouses, and his will, in which he calls himself "John Waldron, Gentleman, of Tiverton", was proved on 14 August 1579.