Bisham

“Breathing the very spirit of sweet peace”, Bisham Abbey occupies a superb position with its churchyard sloping down to the Thames. The major attractions inside are the three sumptuous tombs of the Hoby family dating back to the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The most impressive is dedicated to Elizabeth, Lady Hoby, and shows her gorgeously attired in widow’s weeds attended by her equally splendidly-dressed six children. At her feet lies the recumbent figure of a small boy. An enduring story claims that Lady Elizabeth beat the child to death for smudging his copy book.

Despite its name, Bisham was never inhabited by monks, but was built for the Knights Templar in 1338.