Miles Coverdale Grave

Romans Chap. XVI. Verse XVII. The Holy Bible

To the memory of Miles Coverdale who convinced that the pure Word of God ought to be the sole rule of our faith and guide of our practice laboured earnestly for its diffusion and with a view of affording the meaning of reading and hearing in their own tongue the wonderful works of God not only to his own countrymen but to the nations that sit in darkness and to every church wheresoever the English language might be spoken he spent many years of his life preparing a translation of the Scriptures. On the IV of October MDXXXV the first complete English printed version of the Bible was published under his direction. The parishioners of St Magnus Martyr, desirous of acknowledging the mercy of God and calling to mind that Miles Coverdale was once Rector of their parish, erected this monument to his memory A.D. MDCCCXXXVII. How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things. Isaiah LII chap. VII

On a separate smaller tablet mounted on the wall are the following words: “Near this tablet in a vault made for that purpose are deposited the bones of Miles Coverdale, formerly Bishop of Exeter and Rector of the parish of St Magnus the Martyr in the year of our Lord 1564. His remains were interred in the first instance in the chancel of the Church of St Bartholomew, Exchange: but on the occasion of that church being taken down they were brought here on the fourth of October 1840 in compliance with the wishes and at the request of the Rector the Rev. Tho. Leigh A.M. and parishioners of St Magnus the Martyr.”

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