The large black and white marble chest tomb is that of John Sayer. He was a loyal adherent of Charles II during his exile and became his chief cook after the Restoration. Sayer lived at Berkhamsted Place and he is mentioned in the Diary of Samuel Pepys. In 1661, Pepys wrote,
“…I went with Captain Morrice at his desire into the King’s Privy Kitchen to Mr. Sayres, the Master Cook, and there we had a good slice of beef or two to our breakfast, and from thence he took us into the wine cellar where, by my troth, we were very merry, and I drank too much wine, and all along had great and particular kindness from Mr. Sayres, but I drank so much wine that I was not fit for business.”
On his death, Sayer left £1000 to build the widows’ Almshouses which stand on Berkhamsted High Street to this day.
The Latin inscription on Sayer’s tomb translates:
John Sayer, Esquire, to his most serene highness King Charles II chief cook, contantly attached to him in the most difficult times both at home and abroad in his kingdoms of England and Scotland. Towards God singularly pious, towards needy neighbours especially he always exercised charity, and he left £1,000 to the poor of this town of Berkhamsted, deferring its disposal to the prudence of his most beloved wife Mary by whom he left behind three sons of excellent character, John, Edward and Joseph. He died the 11th day of February 1682. Aged 63
