WILL of John Nash of Bratton, in the parish of Westbury, Co. Wilts — pensioned Branch Pilot in the Bengal Marine Establishment of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies (the Honourable East India Company) — dated 21 December 1835; proved London, Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 16 September 1836. The National Archives, PROB 11/1867 (registered copy, folio 95).

This is the last Will and Testament of me John Nash a pensioned Branch Pilot in the Bengal Marine Establishment of the United Company of Merchants of England trading to the East Indies but now residing at Bratton in the parish of Westbury in the County of Wilts hereby revoking all wills codicils and other testamentary dispositions by me at any time or times theretofore made and declaring this to be my last Will and Testament as follows that is to say I direct that my body be buried with decent Christian rites at the discretion of my Executor hereinafter named in the parish Church of Edington in the County of Wilts where the remains of my Sister [Pentecost?] now lay buried and my Will is and I do hereby direct that my Executor hereinafter named do and shall as soon as conveniently may be after my decease pay all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses together with the costs charges and expenses of proving this my Will and I hereby charge my residuary personal estate with the payment thereof Whereas I am possessed of or entitled to the sum of four thousand pounds Stock in the New three and an half per cent Now I do hereby give devise and bequeath the said sum of four thousand pounds Stock in the new three and an half per cent unto my friend Mr Samuel Brent of Bratton aforesaid Gentleman his executors administrators and assigns Upon the trusts hereinafter directed and declared concerning the same That is to say Upon trust that he the said Samuel Brent his executors administrators and assigns do and shall with all convenient speed after my decease sell out and convert the same into money And my Will is and I do hereby direct that my said trustee his executors administrators and assigns shall stand possessed of the monies to arise from such sale of the said sum of four thousand pounds Stock in the new three and an half per cent Upon trusts following that is to say As to one equal fourth part or share thereof In trust for my eldest son William Nash (now a sailor) to and for his own absolute use and benefit And in case my said son William Nash shall happen to die in my life time and unmarried then I give the said one fourth part or share unto my two other children John Nash and Eliza Snelgrove in equal parts share and share alike to and for their own absolute use and benefit But in case my said son William Nash shall so die during my life time leaving any lawful wife him surviving then my Will is that the share of my said son William Nash so dying shall be paid to his such lawful wife to and for her own absolute use and benefit And as to one other equal fourth part or share of the money to arise from such sale as aforesaid In trust for my second son the aforesaid John Nash of Westbury in the County of Wilts Tailor for his own absolute use and benefit And as to the two other or remaining fourth parts or shares of the money to arise from the sale of the said sum of four thousand pounds Stock new three and an half per cent In trust for my said daughter Eliza the Wife of David Snelgrove of Bratton aforesaid Cordwainer to and for her own absolute use and benefit free from the control of her present or any future husband and her receipt alone shall be a good and sufficient discharge to my said trustee his executors administrators and assigns for the same But in case my said daughter Eliza Snelgrove shall happen to die in my life time my Will is and I do hereby declare and direct that the said David Snelgrove the said husband of my said daughter Eliza shall take and receive all the shares and interest hereby given to her my said daughter Eliza and which she would have taken under this my Will had she been living and do and shall stand and be possessed thereof to and for his own absolute use and benefit and in that case his receipt shall be a good discharge to my said trustee his executors administrators and assigns And it is my Will and I direct that my said trustee his executors administrators and assigns do and shall pay over or otherwise assign the above several shares to my said children respectively as soon as conveniently may be after my decease And as to all the Rest Residue and Remainder of my real and personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever the same may be of which I shall die possessed or over which I shall have a disposing power at the time of my decease (after payment of my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses together with the costs and charges of proving this my Will as hereinbefore directed) my Will is and I do hereby direct that my said trustee his executors administrators and assigns shall stand possessed of the same In trust for my said daughter Eliza Snelgrove to and for her own use and benefit absolutely But in case of the death of my said daughter Eliza as aforesaid In trust for the said David Snelgrove to and for his own absolute use and benefit And lastly I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the said Samuel Brent sole Executor of this my Will In witness whereof I the said John Nash the testator have to this my last Will and Testament contained in three sheets of paper to the first two sheets thereof set my hand and to this third and last sheet thereof my hand and seal this twenty first day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty five — John Nash (LS) — Signed sealed published and declared by the said John Nash the testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses Benjamin Hale[?] [of Devizes?] — John Brent, Solr, Trowbridge.

[His tomb is under a tree left off path leading from car park on the south-east side of the Church. Inscription mostly illegible. Inscription and notes taken from the 'The Parish Church of St James Bratton' by Jean Morrison in 1977]

There are a number of interesting old gravestones, dating from the 17th century onwards, some of which were once painted in bright colours. A few years ago there were still traces of red and blue, but now [as at 1977] only a little black and yellow can be found on some of the larger tombs. Churchyards must have once been cheerful, colourful places, but tastes change. Plain grey stone is now the fashion, and ‘At rest’ replaces the poems and personal details that once made memorials so individual and interesting. Many are now indecipherable, and others fading fast. So many visitors come here seeking their ancestors that it is worth recording a few before they weather away completely.

One recorded John Nash who served with the Honourable East India Company, retired to Bratton and died there, and whose daughter Eliza married David Snelgrove of Bratton, and bore him ten children:

Sacred to the memory of Mr John Nash, late a Branch Pilot in
the H E I C Service, who departed this life on the 10th of July,
1836, aged 73 years. Ready to commiserate the feelings and
sufferings of a fellow creature, in the vicisitudes he experienced
he was a good master, a worthy friend and as a neighbour
universally respected through life, universally lamented in
death. He possessed the heart that could feel for another, and
to sum it in one delightful whole, he was a good Samaritan to
the poor and distressed, to the stranger and the sojourner.

The best of his days he spent abroad
Yet's anchored here by the will of God,
Torrid and frigid zone he passed
And safe at home arrived at last.
He is the poor ne'er said 'Avaunt'
But from his purse reliev'd their Want
Their cares to soothe to migrate distress;
His acts were good, were numberless.
If deeds like these they heart may prize
Reader go thou and do likewise!