The tomb of Sir Gabriel and Audrey Poyntz. Sir Gabriel's father Thomas was a friend and supporter of William Tyndale (1494 - 1536) who was a scholar and religious reformer. During the reign of Henry VIII, Tyndale translated the Bible into English. This was heresy at the time and Tyndale was eventually captured and burnt at the stake. Thomas Poyntz, who had supported his friend financially at first, then by smuggling English Bibles into England hidden in bales of cloth, and finally by writing letters of support to members of Henry's court, was also branded a heretic; he lost his business and died later in poverty. Ironically, two years after the death of Tyndale Henry VIII had a change of heart and ordered that an English Bible should be used in every church throughout the land.