Tucked away in this old church with little flamboyance is this magnificent monument to the Pigott family. On the top of the monument is the large coat of arms capturing all the various alliances of the family with more individual arms below.
The actual Pigott arms is the Argent three picks sable which is a sable represented three times which repeats on all the arms on the monument.
The large, coloured coat of arms bears a gauntlet and knight's helmet on top with the shield holding the Pigott's Argent three picks sable with a central star, three lions, three fishes and three anchors.
The lineage of the Pigott family can be seen here
(
visit link) and is quoted below.
'b. Benjamin PIGOTT, b 1551 (so probably instead son of the 2nd marriage); of Nether Gravenhurst, Esq, J.P.; Cambridge University, 1566; Gray's Inn, 1578; died 1606; marr 1stly, Mary ASTREY (daur of Ralph ASTREY of Harlington & Woodend, Beds), widow of Francis MARKHAM; issue, but they died young.
Benjamin marr 2ndly, Anne WISEMAN (daur of Thomas WISEMAN of Canfield Hall, Co Essex); issue:'
The inscription on the monument reads:
'Here lyeth ye body of Benjamin Pigott Esq., late Justice of peace in ye county of Bedford. Sonne of Francis Pigott Esq., by his wife Margery, daughter of Sir John Saint John of Bletso in ye county of Bedford Knight and widow of Henry Grey of Wrest in ye county of Bedford Esq., by whom she had issue Reginald, Henry, and Charles, all three successively earles of Kent; sonne of Thomas Pigott serjeant at law to King Henry ye 8th, by Agnes daughter and heire of - Foster of Rickle in Essex Esq., sonne of Robert Pigott Esq., by Margaret daughter and sole heire of John Gifford Esq., and sonne of Richard Pigott Esq., by Alice daughter and heire of Richard Finnel Esq., sonne of Geoffrey Pigott by Margaret daughter of Ralph Plompton Esq., sonne of Sir Randolph Pigott Knight by Anne daughter of Sir John Meniot Knight, sonne of Geoffrey Pigott Esq., sonne of Sir Randolph Pigott Knight. This Benjamin Pigott had three wives, his first Mary daughter of Ralph Astrey of Harlington in Bedfordshire, Esq., by whom he had issue - Pigott he dead without issue, His second Anne daughter and coheire of Thomas Wiseman of — in Essex, Esq., by whom he had issue — Pigott. She dead without issue, Henry Pigott, Elizabeth marryed to John Potts Esq., dead without issue, Oliver dead without issue, his 3rd wife Bridget daughter of John Nedham of Wimondly in Hartfordshire, Esq., by whom he had issue Jane dead without issue, Benjamin dead without issue, Anne marryed to Edward Wright Esq., John Pigott, Judith marryed Symon Hale Gent, Bridget Talbot marryed to John Leigh of London, Gent, Mary, Susan marryed to Christopher Thornton Rector of Knebworth in Hartfordshire. This Benjamin Pigott dyed ye 28th of October, AD 1606 AEtat: Suae 55.'
The brasses beneath the coats of arms show Benjamin Pigott, Esq., and three wives: (1) Mary, daughter of R. Astrey, Esq., of Harlington, Beds (with one son); (2) Anne, daughter and co-heiress of T. Wiseman, Esq. (with two sons and two daughters); (3) Bridget, daughter of John Nedham, Esq. (with two sons and seven daughters), 1606.
Benjamin Pigott has a beard and moustache and is portrayed in a ruff, cloak, doublet and hose and he kneels on a hassock. The first wife wears the Paris head-dress, with ruff, stomacher and long gown. In her dexter hand she holds a handkerchief, and in her sinister hand a book. Her son is represented in a costume similar to that of the father, Benjamin.
The second and third wife's attire and their children's are similar to that of the above.