History, Wimborne | Posted on March 2nd, 2026 | return to news

The curious case of Wimborne tomb

Learn about the curious case of Gertrude Courtney, Marchioness of Exeter, at Wimborne’s Museum of East Dorset.

Many people may not have heard of her, but Gertrude Courtney, Marchioness of Exeter, was laid to rest in Wimborne Minster church, where her tomb stands opposite the Beaufort Tomb.

Visitors can discover her fascinating story at Wimborne’s Museum of East Dorset, which is hosting a ‘Cabinet of Curiosity’ until mid-April.

Best known for her fierce and faithful loyalty to Queen Katherine of Aragon and Princess Mary during the turbulent years of Henry VIII’s reign, the Marchioness was branded a traitor for her defiance. Her refusal to abandon her faith or her queen led to her imprisonment in the Tower of London, where she spent 18 months under threat of execution.

Though eventually released, she lived the rest of her life in enforced obscurity until Mary I came to the throne. She died in 1558, just months before Elizabeth I’s accession.

The Museum’s new display brings this dramatic story into sharp focus, pairing historical context with one of the most curious local accounts ever recorded. In 1914, Sir Ernest Kaye Fleming documented the spoken testimony of William Symonds, a retired Wimborne draper who recalled events from his childhood.

According to Symonds, workmen once opened the Marchioness’s tomb — there appeared to be no reason save curiosity — and found her body in a remarkable state of preservation. In a macabre prank, the body was propped upright to startle workers the next morning, only to collapse overnight, breaking the nose. Locals flocked to see the remains, even cutting off locks of hair from the corpse. Many later repented and returned them to the tomb.

The museum’s display explores how a woman once condemned as a traitor became, centuries later, the subject of morbid fascination and local legend.

Vanessa Joseph, museum trustee, said: “Set within the museum’s growing programme of micro exhibits, the ‘Cabinet of Curiosity’ offers a compelling glimpse into Tudor politics, local memory and the blurred lines between history and myth — all just a few steps from where the Marchioness herself lies buried — for the second time.”

Normal museum entry applies, and your entry ticket is valid for 12 months.