Location
On the southern wall of the Chapel of St. Thomas (see Cathedral Plan).
Thom Heather A.M. sereniss
Car: 2th Majestat: a sacris et
huius. Ecclæ Vicarij
Qui, cu 35 pene annos
eximiæ pietatis, incorruptæ
fider et diligentiæ pastoralis vi-
vendo, credendo, concionando
spectabile suiffet exemplar
animam Deo reddidit 20 die
ensis bris, Ann Dom 1696
Etat suæ 75. Dormit in pace
corpus, beatain præstolans
Refurrectionem sed triste fur
defiderium amiers reliquit
Vale Lector et (ut
ex animo Valeas)
Vive bene
Further Information
"Thomas Heather was appointed Vicar of Portsmouth 21st December 1663. Born in 1621 at some place descibed as Bostoll in Northamptonshire, he was educated at Magdaken College, Oxford, and took his degree in 1640. In 1660 he wasinstituted to Fareham on the presentation of the King, and in 1661 was promoted to the Vicarage of Titchfield. In 1662 he received the Rectory of Eldon, near Stockbridge, in the gift of the Sandys family, and on 9th June 1664, had licence to hold that Rectory along with Portsmouth. In 1665 his boy Thomas was admitted to Winchester on the King's nomination, and on 30th December 1667, Charles wrote to the college asking that he might be sent to Oxford at the next election, because his father 'had been very useful as Minister of Portsmouth Church'.
Dr. Heather was also Chaplain to the Garrison, and, apparently at some date after 1670 was made Chaplain in Ordinary to the King: these Chaplains were 48 in number, four of them on duty every month."
[From 'Portsmouth Parish Church' by Lilley & Everitt
His contribution to the building of the church is commemorated in one of the Historic Windows in the Cathedral.