TOMB EFFIGIES:

ROBERT of EWYAS – dated 1240–1250 from the direction of the chain mail. This fine effigy, by the Bristol School of Craftsmen, was painted. The shield's device identified the knight. Traditionally this is Robert de Tregoz, Lord of Ewyas, elder son of Sybil of Ewyas. His wife was Juliana, sister of Saint Thomas Cantilupe, Bishop of Hereford. Robert is mentioned in Saint Thomas' canonisation enquiry. Both effigies were found in the ambulatory chapels. Roland Paul resited them c.1900.

ROGER de CLIFFORD – dated c.1280 from the direction of the chain mail. This fine effigy, by the Bristol school of craftsmen, was painted. The shield's device identified the knight. Traditionally this is Sir Roger de Clifford the younger son of Sybil of Ewyas. Among his exploits Roger seized Bishop Peter de Aigueblanche of Hereford, in Hereford Cathedral, and imprisoned him in Eardisley Castle. Roger's Will, requesting burial in Dore, acknowledged he had 'vexed' the monks. Through marriage his grandson became Lord of Westmorland. (Henry II's mistress, 'Fair Rosamund', was from this family.) The head was stolen in 1985; the replacement head was sculpted and kindly donated in 1995 by Simon Armstrong, stonemason at Wells Cathedral.

BISHOP JOHN de BRETON's HEART BURIAL – Bishop of Hereford 12691275. Traces survive of his mitre, eucharistic vestments, crosier and the two small angels guarding his pillow. The Norman / Latin inscription is in Lombardic capitals:

(SER)VA:PONTIFICIS:COR...on right / (S)A(NCTUM):XPISTE:IOH(ANNIS)...on left
(O Christ, preserve the holy heart of Pontiff John)

In 1270 Bishop John granted permission for his parents, John le Bretun and Margaret, to be buried before the altar in Dore Abbey. Although buried in Hereford Cathedral Bishop John wanted his heart buried with his parents. Roland Paul discovered a lead heartcase placed centrally below the presbytery floor, seven feet east of the existing chancel screen. Another heart burial, of Margaret ?Clifford, was recorded in 1260.

MEDIEVAL TILES – Tiles were used as floor decoration and to identify tombs housed in chantry chapels. Endowments paid for priests to say Mass for the souls of the dead in these chapels. Cutoff capitals in the chancel show the probable position of a chantry chapel. Dore tombs included Gerald Sitsilt's, ancestor of Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley. All surviving tiles were saved by Roland Paul – he relaid heraldic tiles in the chancel. These date to the mid 13th century, and include the arms of Leon and Castile, Walter de Clifford II, Berkeley, Bohun, Vere, Old France and England. Some plain green, yellow, brown and black tiles were also relaid around the font. See A Definitive History of Dore Abbey for nonheraldic tiles' patterns when researched by Alan Vince in 1996 they were still in a 1901 newspaper! One of these tiles, featuring an angel blowing a trumpet, has a circular inscription Martin me fecit … translated as Martin made me... Martin was the diecutter. The relief decorated tiles are unusual, possibly the work of a Swiss craftsman. The twocolour tiles are probably the earliest in the Welsh March. Alan Vince (an eminent authority) concluded that these floor tiles are at present unique.