THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
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 I Q
 
 Monumental Brasses in Shropshire, 
 
 BY 
 
 MILL STEPHENSON, B.A., F.S.A. 
 
 Reprinted from The Archaeological Journal, 
 March, 1895. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 HARRISON AND SONS, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, 
 
 Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty. 
 
 1895.
 
 [Reprinted from The A rchsological Jottrxat., March, 1895.] 
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 By MILL STEPHENSON, B.A., F.S.A. 
 
 [Read at Shrewsbury, July 25th, 1894.] 
 
 Shropshire, although large in area, does not contain 
 many examples of this class of monument. Twenty 
 brasses with effigies and one inscription with devices 
 have been noticed, but others may still be found, especi- 
 ally in the remoter districts. 
 
 The brasses of the county as at present known, may be 
 roughly divided as follows : — 
 
 Armed figures alone 
 
 „ ,, with ladies 
 
 Civilians alone 
 
 ,. with ladies 
 
 Ecclesiastics 
 Ladies alone 
 Miscellaneous 
 
 1 
 
 4 
 3 
 
 5 
 4 
 2 
 2 
 
 21 
 
 Inscriptions only are not included, some few are given, 
 but the list is not complete. 
 
 The effigies at Harley, Tong (Ralph Elcok. 1510), and 
 Withington exhibit marked peculiarities and are probably 
 the work of some local artists, possibly of a school of 
 metal-workers established at Coventry in the adjoining 
 county of Warwick during the latter half of the fifteenth 
 century. Much of their work may be found in the counties 
 of Northampton, Stafford, and Warwick. The fine brass 
 at Acton Burnell may possibly belong to this class, but in 
 this case a northern origin must be looked for, and in all 
 probability it may be attributed to the earlier provincial 
 school established either in Lincolnshire or Yorkshire, 
 more probably the latter, at the close of the fourteenth 
 century. Nothing is known of the history of these local 
 engravers except in the case of Norwich where some trace 
 of a family named Brazier, bellfounders and braziers, has 
 
 a 

 
 48 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 come down to us. At Upton Cressett on a late brass, 
 1640, there occurs a maker's name, "E. Grigs, sculpsit," 
 but this is the only instance which has been noticed in the 
 county. 
 
 The finest military figures are those at Acton Burnell 
 to Sir Nicholas Burnell, 1382, and at Tong to Sir 
 William Vernon, constable of England, 1467. The later 
 examples at Harley, c. 1475, and Withington, 1512, 
 belong to the local school. At Adderley is a very late 
 example of date 1560. 
 
 The earliest figure of a civilian is that of William Mayn- 
 waryng, 1497, at Ightfield, all the other seven examples 
 belong to the last half of the sixteenth century, and pre- 
 sent no points of interest. 
 
 Of ecclesiastics there are four examples, but one, 
 unidentified, either an abbot or a bishop, c. 1390, at 
 Adderley, is of great interest. The mitred head and the 
 inscription are unfortunately lost, the vestments are the 
 amice, albe, dalmatic, maniple, and chasuble, but neither 
 the tunic, stole, sandals, nor gloves appear. In the right 
 hand is a crozier, and in the left a book. All attempts at 
 identification have so far failed. At Tong is a small figure 
 to Ealph Elcok, 1510, a brother of the college, in cassock, 
 surplice, and almuce. This brass is of local origin, and 
 the inscription is somewhat blundered. In the same 
 church is a fine figure to Sir Arthur Vernon, warden of 
 the college and rector of Whitchurch, 1517, representing 
 him in the dress of a master of arts of the University of 
 Cambridge. Above the figure is a pretty little chalice 
 with a rayed wafer inscribed with the letters " Ihc." The 
 last of the series is a figure in cassock, surplice, almuce, 
 and cope, to Adam Graffton, " the most worshipful priest 
 living in his days," but somewhat of a pluralist according 
 to the inscription. Amongst his many preferments he was 
 parson of Withington and was there buried in 1530. 
 
 Of ladies alone there are two fine examples, one at 
 Burford, unfortunately mutilated, to Dame Elizabeth 
 Cornewaylle, c. 1370, and one at Ightfield to Dame 
 Margery Calveley, widow of Philip Egerton, she died in 
 1509, but the brass was engraved in her lifetime, c. 1495, 
 after her marriage with her third husband, Sir Hugh 
 Calveley. This brass has a fine triple canopy with a
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 49 
 
 curious figure of St. John the Baptist on the centre 
 finial. 
 
 Of ladies accompanying their husbands the fine figure 
 of Lady Vernon at Tong is a good example of a widow's 
 costume. At Harley is an example of the butterfly head- 
 dress, but the rest of the series calls for no special com- 
 ment. At Edgmond is a curious brass to Francis Yonge, 
 1533, representing him in a shroud, whilst his wife Anne, 
 who predeceased him, is in ordinary attire. 
 
 At Clun is an inscription, on a quadrangular plate, to 
 Sir Eobert Howard, K.B., 1653, with a running pattern 
 of flowers and leaves with various devices in the angles. 
 
 Of canopies there are but two examples, at Acton Bur- 
 nell, 1382, and at Ightfield, c. 1495 ; the former is a 
 single canopy of the cinquefoiled ogee shape, and is an 
 early example of the use of groining, the head of the figure 
 being carried into the midst of the groining. The latter 
 is triple, but of debased character with much ornament 
 and heavv crockets. 
 
 Heraldry is well represented on the Vernon brasses at 
 Tong ; early examples of shields also occur at Burford, 
 and at Edgmond there was until recently a shield bearing 
 the emblems of the Passion. The arms of the town of 
 Coventry appear on the Onley brass at Withington. 
 
 An account of the brasses in the destroyed church of St, 
 Alkmund, Shrewsbury, is attempted, principally drawn 
 from Owen and Blakeways History of Shrewsbury, and 
 from a manuscript in the British Museum, viz., Add. MSS. 
 21, 236-37. Draivings of Monuments and Inscriptions 
 front churches and chapels in Shropshire, executed by the 
 Rev. Edicard Williams, 1792-1803, with indexes, 2 vols., 
 paper, folio. 
 
 The writer is indebted to the Eev. T. Auden, F.S.A., 
 chairman of the council of the Shropshire Archasological 
 Societv, to Mrs. and Miss Auden, the Eev. J. E. Field, the 
 Eev. E. M. Serjeantson, and to other friends for the loan 
 of rubbings and for much kind assistance in the prepara- 
 tion of this paper. 
 
 a
 
 50 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE 
 
 ACTON BUENELL. 
 I. 
 
 Sir Nicholas Burnell, 1382. 
 
 Full length effigy in complete armour of the " camail " 
 period ; the bascinet is acutely pointed and to it is attached 
 by laces the camail, the hawberk also of mail is covered 
 by the jupon, whilst the shoulders are defended by epau- 
 lieres composed of overlapping plates, the arms by bras- 
 sarts and vambraces, the elbows by coutes, and the hands 
 by gauntlets. The thighs, knees, and legs are protected 
 by plate alone, the sollerets are extremely pointed and 
 have rowel spurs buckled over the instep. At the feet is 
 a very fine lion, the sword is suspended diagonally behind 
 the body from a richly ornamented bawdric and to it on 
 the right hand side, in front of the body, is fastened the 
 misericorde or dagger. 
 
 A good single canopy of the cinquefoiled ogee shape 
 surrounds the figure, it has, for this early date, the unusual 
 feature of groining and the head of the figure is carried 
 into the centre of this groining. The bases of the pinna- 
 cles are ornamented with wolves' heads and the base of 
 the canopy itself, with large quatrefoils filled with foliage. 
 
 The inscription, in three lines black letter, is at the 
 head of the canopy and not as usual under the effigy. It 
 reads : — 
 
 ^tc facet cms Jflicfjus 33ttnteII miles tins 
 
 iBe J)olgot' qut obttt xix° trie ^anuaritj&nno 
 
 HBnT jSlmo (MODma %xxxii° GTui ate ppfcfet' tis am. 
 
 Two shields of arms and parts of the finials of the canopy 
 are lost. 
 
 The brass lies on a high tomb in the north transept 
 The figure is 46 inches in height and the size of the whole 
 composition is 6 ieet 6 inches by 2 feet. It has been 
 engraved in The Archceological Journal, vol. ii, p. 329 ; 
 BoutelVs Monumental Brasses and Slabs, p. 54 ; The Oxford 
 Manual of Brasses, p. 70 : and Haines Manual, Introd., 
 p. 138.
 
 brbolgac qui olnir ^Eit a tnciamiain } Smio 
 
 • — .. .** ' iii«--»-. ' '0 .:. vr— -■ ■■'.As— ''-c± 
 
 ', 
 
 JO- 
 
 SIR NICHOLAS BURNELL, Knt. 
 
 1382. 
 
 ACTON BURNELL, SALOP.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 51 
 
 Maud Burnell, the heiress of the Burnell estates, married 
 for her second husband John de Handlo, who died in 1346, 
 leaving one son, Sir Nicholas, who assumed his mother's 
 name and eventually succeeded to the estates. For an 
 account of Sir Nicholas' controversy with Eobert de 
 Morley concerning his right to bear the Burnell arms, see 
 the Archceological Journal, vol. ii, p. 330. 
 
 IL 
 
 Elisa Whitney, c. 1650. 
 Inscription only. Size of plate 21 by 7 inches. 
 
 Eesvrgam. 
 
 Filia Doctoris Bright, lohitney chara marita 
 Dormit Elisa solo corpore, mente polo 
 Lucida nubae viae, patriae splendor e refulget. 
 Gandoris plenam vestit et alba stola. 
 
 Now mural. Chancel. 
 
 III. 
 
 Margaret Smyth, 1655. 
 
 Inscription only. Size of plate 13 J by 6 J inches. 
 
 HERE LYETH THE BODY OF MARGARET 
 
 SMYTH THE WIFE OF THOMAS SMYTH 
 
 OF RVCKLEY GEN: BEING THE ELDEST 
 
 DAUGHTER OF THOMAS UNTON OF 
 
 DREYTON ESQ: SHE DEPARTED 
 THIS LIFE THE 5 TH OF FEBRUARY 
 1655 BEINGE 54 YEARES OF AGE. 
 
 She had one son 13 years of age the 22th of February, 1655. 
 
 Now mural. Chancel.
 
 52 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Martha Trovell, 1660. 
 
 Inscription only. Size of plate 15 by 6^ inches. 
 
 i : am : svre : that : my : redeemer : liveth : and : 
 
 HE : SHAL : STAND : THE : LAST : ON : THE : EARTH : AND : THOVGH 
 AFTER : MY : SKINNE : WORMES : DISTROY : THIS : BODY : 
 
 yet : shal : I : see : GOD ; in : my : flesh : whom : I : my- 
 
 selfe : shall : see : and : my : eyes : shall : be : hold : and : 
 
 NO : other : for : me : thovgh : my : reins : are : 
 
 consvmed : with : tn : me : martha : trovell : 
 
 VlRGO : FOURE : SCORE : AND : NEINE : OF : AGE : IN : MARCH : LAST : 1660. 
 
 Now mural. Chancel. 
 
 ACTON SCOTT. 
 
 Thomas Mytton, and wife Elsabeth, 1571. 
 
 Effigies kneeling at prayer desks on which lie open 
 books and on the side panel of each desk is a lozenge 
 enclosing a skull. Thomas Mytton, " a gentle by race " 
 is in civil costume and behind him are the kneeling 
 figures of his nine sons. His wife Elsabeth, a daughter 
 of Sir Edward Gryvell, " a Warwykeshere knight," wears 
 the " Paris Hede ", a small ruff and an overgown with 
 turned back collar and short sleeves puffed at the 
 shoulders, the gown is confined round the waist by a 
 girdle. Behind her are the kneeling figures of her two 
 daughters in similar dresses.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 53 
 
 Below the figures is a black letter inscription in eleven 
 lines :■ — 
 
 W^m Igctft cntombcij m clane tfjc carcase 
 of lEIsabctfj JttMton tobo late foas tfje fonffe 
 of 2H)omas JWjjtton a (Senile by race 
 torjtfj issue alcben goo blcssctr tfjetr Inffc 
 ^fjerj gjoijrtr together anfc liffc Ictto arigfjt 
 trcscenticcJ of Clientrrjc, anb bougrjt 9 sfjc toas 
 of §br lEbfoarb CSrnbcU a S^artmiKesfjcre fcnigbt 
 £bfje yclbctr bcr brcatfj anci enbcc& f)cr race 
 tfje alebentfj of marcb anb rjc gerc of grace 
 a tfjousanb fijbc bunbrcb sebentge anS one 
 to fobomc golf grant a ^opfull resurrection. 
 
 The male effigy measures 11 J inches in height and the 
 female 10^ inches. The size of the whole composition is 
 about 20 by 21 inches. It is now mounted on an oak 
 panel and hangs in the chancel. 
 
 ADDERLEY. 
 I. 
 
 An Ecclesiastic (Abbot or Bishop), c. 1390. 
 
 Full length effigy (head with mitre lost), in amice, albe, 
 dalmatic, maniple and chasuble, holding in the right hand 
 a crozier (head lost) encircled with the vexillum, and in 
 the left a clasped book. Neither the tunic, stole, sandals, 
 nor gloves are represented. 
 
 The inscription, the head of the figure and the head of 
 the crozier are lost. 
 
 This figure presents an early instance of an ecclesiastic 
 holding a book. Later examples may be found at Beef or d, 
 Yorks., 1472, and at Carlisle Cathedral, 1496. After the 
 Reformation the practice becomes common. 
 
 In its present condition the figure measures 41 inches in 
 height and lies on the chancel floor.
 
 54 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 All attempts at identification have so far failed. The 
 brass is not- mentioned by the Eev. Edward Williams 
 although he visited the church on September 1, 1794 
 (Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 21, 236, fol. 176). Eandle Holme 
 also visited the church at a much earlier period but 
 only notices some shields in glass (Harl. MS. 2, 129, fol. 
 154a). 
 
 II. 
 
 Sir Eobert Nedeham, and wife Agnes, 1560. 
 
 Full length effigies turned sideways. Sir Eobert is 
 represented bare-headed in armour, his hands are without 
 gauntlets and frills appear at the neck and wrists. The 
 figure is badly proportioned and very clumsy, the armour 
 is of the usual type of this period and calls for no 
 comment. His wife wears the " Paris hede " together 
 with the usual over and under gown accompanying this 
 style of head-dress. 
 
 Below the figures is a five line inscription in black 
 letter : 
 
 f^ne Itett> btmjefc tm&er tins stone tf)c bobes of Jbgr Bobart 
 J=tcotIjam fentgbt antr frame 0gnes ijts foyffe tiaugbtcr of 3°& n 
 i^agnfoarmg of peber rscntirc fobtcb santo Bobart btceassefc tbc 
 ttit Jjagc of 3J unc &1TO0 fcomim 1556 antr tbc sapb Epcs 
 beccassetf tf)e ft fcajje of mape gjnno tJomtnt 1560. 
 
 Below the inscription are the smaller effigies of seven 
 sons in civil attire and two daughters in similar costume 
 to their mother. 
 
 The male effigy measures 19 inches in height and the 
 female 18 inches. The size of the whole composition is 
 3 feet 6 inches by 2 feet, and lies in the chancel. 
 
 Sir Eobert Nedeham married Agnes, a daughter of John 
 Maynwaring, Esq., of Pever or Peover, Cheshire.
 
 
 
 i 
 
 17" 
 
 AN ECCLESIASTIC. 
 
 C. 1390. 
 
 ADOERLEY, SALOP.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 55 
 
 III. 
 
 John Podmore, rector, 1673. 
 Inscription only. Size of plate 9 by 1\ inches. 
 
 SUB SPE KESURRECTI- 
 ONIS HIC SITUS EST 10- 
 HANNES PODMORE QU- 
 ONDAM HUIUS RECTOR 
 ECCLESI^E obiit anno mt- 
 
 ATIS SViE LXXIII ANNO 
 QUE DOMINI 1673. 
 
 Nave. 
 
 ALVELEY. 
 John Grove, 1616. 
 
 Fnll length effigy turned sideways and wearing ruff, 
 doublet and gown with long false sleeves. 
 
 Inscription in Roman capitals : — 
 
 x 
 
 HERE LYETH BVRIED THE BODY OF JOHN GROVE 
 GENTLEMAN AND A FREEMAN OF THE RIGHT WOR$* 
 
 t K 
 
 COMPANY OF GROCERS OF LONDON WHO WAS BORNE' 
 
 IN THIS PARISH OF ALVELEY AND HATH GWEN FOR 
 
 EVER TO A SCHOOL MASTER TO TEACH SCHOL- 
 
 LERS WITHIN THE SAID PARISH OF ALVELEY AND 
 
 OTHER TEN POVNDES TO FIVE POORE AGED MEN & 
 
 IMPOTENT WHO HAVE BIN LABORING MEN OF HONEST 
 
 CONVERSATION AND HAVE BIN DECAIED THROVGH 
 AGE OR INFIRMITY HEt'DYED THE Xlf-DAY OF DECEM- 
 BER ANNO DNI 1616 BEING OF THE AGE OF FIFTY 
 
 SIX YEARES.
 
 56 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 Above the figure are two shields of arms : — 
 
 (Dexter) — [Erin.) on a chevron engrailed (gu.) three 
 escallops (arg.). grove. . « r/ It .Aa-£ see* £... /n- At/ftx-im 
 
 (Sinister) — Arg., a chevron gii. between oevon cloves % and 
 3 sa. company of grocers. 
 
 This brass was formerly in the chancel but is now on 
 the south side of the nave. 
 
 John Grove, gentleman and freeman of the Grocers' 
 Company of London, founded the school at Alveley and 
 was likewise a benefactor to the parish as stated in the 
 inscription. 
 
 BURFOBD. 
 Dame Elizabeth de Cornewaylle, c. 1370. 
 
 j i 
 
 Large full length effigy, head resting on embroidered 
 cushion, lower part of figure restored in recent times. 
 
 Dame Elizabeth, wife of Mons. Esmon de Cornewaylle, 
 wears a close cap with its front edges plaited, carried 
 straight across the forehead and down the sides of the 
 face. Over this is a veil or kerchief falling on the back 
 and shoulders. The tight fitting sleeves of the kirtle are 
 seen at the wrists ; the close fitting overgown 1 as also 
 tight sleeves and curious slits or pocket holes in front 
 through which may be seen the plain girdle of the kirtle. 
 Over all is worn a long mantle fastened across the breasts 
 by a short cord. 
 
 Of the marginal inscription only a few words remain, it 
 is in French in thick black letter : — 
 
 *3kg gist trame <2Blt?al)ef)t feme a mons' (JBsmon Ue (EowcfoapUc q 
 morust 
 
 • Two shields of arms above the head are lost, two others, 
 one on each side of the neck bear: — 
 
 ( Dexter ) — Arg., a lion rampant gu., armed, and langued 
 az., ducally crowned or, ivithin a bordure engrailed sa. 
 bezantee. cornewaylle impaling .... two lions 
 passant in pale. 
 
 ( Sniffer ). . . two lions passant in pale. 
 perhaps erdington — or, two lions passant in pale az.
 
 > 1
 
 DAME ELIZABETH DE COBNEWAYLLE. 0. 1370. 
 BTTEFOBD, SALOP. 
 
 About T \j linear.
 
 58 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 The effigy now measures 66 inches in height, the 
 restored part being 9 inches. It lies on the chancel 
 floor. 
 
 An engraving of this brass may be found in Haines 
 Manual of Brasses, Introd., p. 167. 
 
 CLUN. 
 Sir Robert Howard, K.B., 1653. 
 
 A quadrangular plate measuring 22 by 15^- inches. In 
 an oval in the centre is the inscription with four shields 
 of arms, one at the top, one at the bottom, and one on 
 each side. In the four corners are a skull, a skeleton 
 holding a dart, an hour glass and a pair of crossed thigh 
 bones. The remainder of the plate is entirely covered with 
 a running pattern of flowers and leaves enclosed within a 
 border of leaves. 
 
 The inscription reads : — 
 
 Here lyeth the 
 
 Body of S r . Robert 
 
 Howard Knight of the 
 
 Bath (Fifth Son of Thomas 
 
 Earle of Suffolk Lord 
 
 High Treasurer of England) 
 
 Who deceased April th 22 
 
 A° Dni. 1653 He married 
 
 Katherine Nevill Daughter 
 
 of Henry Lord Abergaveney 
 
 By whom he had Issue 
 
 Henry Edward and 
 
 Robert 
 
 At the bottom of the plate under the lowermost shield 
 is : — 
 
 .etat — Sile 63. 
 
 The upper and two side shields bear the Howard arms 
 with crest and mantling, viz. — Quarterly. I. Gu., on
 
 SIR ROBERT HOWARD, K.B. 
 
 1653. 
 
 CLUN, SALOP.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 59 
 
 a bend between six crosses crosslet fitchy arg., an escut- 
 cheon or, charged with a demi-lion rampant pierced 
 through the mouth with an arrow, within a double tressure 
 flory counter-fiory of the first. Howard. II. Gu., three 
 lions passant guardant in pale or, in chief a label of three 
 points arg. brotherton. • III. Cheqicy or and az. 
 warrenne. IV. Gu., a lion rampant arg., armed 
 and languid az. mowbray. Over all a crescent, 
 for difference. 
 
 Crest : — On a chapeau gu. turned, up erm., a lion statant 
 guardant crowned and ducally gorged or. 
 
 The lower shield bears Howard as above impaling 
 Nevill, Lord Abergavenny— Quarterly of six. I. Gu., on 
 a saltire arg. a rose of the first, seeded or, barbed vert. 
 
 NEVILL^ LORD ABERGAVENNY. II. Or, fretty git., Oil a 
 
 canton per pale erm. and of the first a ship with sails 
 furled sa. nevill of Buhner. III. Chequy or and az. 
 warrenne. IV. Or, three chevrons gu. clare. V. 
 Quarterly arg. and gu., in the second and third quarters a 
 fret or, over all a bend sa. le despencer. VI. Gu., a 
 fess between six crosses crosslet or, the f ess charged with a 
 crescent. . for difference, beauchamp. 
 
 Crest as above. 
 
 This plate was formerly attached to a handsome marble 
 monument on the south wall of the chancel but is now 
 fastened to the east wall of the north aisle of the church. 
 A lithograph facsimile has recently been published. 
 
 Sir Robert Howard, K.B., was the fifth son of Thomas 
 Howard, Earl of Suffolk and Lord High Treasurer of 
 England. He married Katherine, daughter of Henry 
 Nevill, Lord Abergavenny, by whom he had three sons, 
 Henry, Edward, and Robert. Sir Robert died on the 22nd 
 of April, 1653. 
 
 The Rector of Chin — The Rev. Prebendary Warner — 
 has very kindly searched the registers for entries relating 
 to the Howard family, but as the earlier register is missing 
 the search proved fruitless.
 
 60 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE 
 
 DIDDLEBURY. 
 
 Richard Bawdewin 1623, and wife Margery, 1614. 
 
 Inscription and shields of arms. 
 
 QVI MARE QVI FERRVM DVRM qvi vincvla Tvrris 
 
 qvondam transivit nunc ingens atropos occa 
 
 nomen si qv^ras soboles qvot qv.e fvit vxor 
 
 occvbvit qvando qv^e svbsvnt r^ec tibi mostra 
 
 Thomas primogenitvs Richardi Bawdewin de 
 
 DlDLEBVRIE ET MARGIRI^ VXORIS EIUS FILI^E IjAW- 
 
 rencii Lvdlowe de Morehowse dvxit in vxore 
 
 Gertrvdam filiam Roberti Corbet de Stand- 
 
 wardine de qva genvit tres filios edwardvm 
 
 lohannem et rlchardvm et dvas filias doro- 
 
 c, — 1 ET OBIIT 
 
 THEAM ET SUZANNA ET VALEDICIT MVNDO I . a 
 
 Anno Dni 1614 ^Etatis sv^e lxviii jg23 
 
 Arms : 
 
 (1). Quarterly I. Arg., a saltire sa. Baldwin. II. 
 Barry of six az. and arg. a chief erm. wigley. III. 
 Gu., a chevron erm. between three eaglets close arg. childe. 
 IV. Per pale gu. and or, a fleur-de-lys counter changed. 
 acheley. 
 
 Crest : — On a mound vert a cockatrice with wings addorsed 
 arg., beaked, combed, ducally gorged and lined or. bald- 
 win. 
 
 (2). Baldwin impaling or, a lion rampant sa. 
 
 LUDLOW. 
 
 Mural. North wall of chancel.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 61 
 
 II. 
 
 Charles Baldwyn, Esq., 1674. 
 
 Small quadrangular plate with inscription and shield of 
 arms. 
 
 M. 8. 
 
 Carolus Baldwyn tie Elsich 
 
 Armiger Hie situs est 
 Obiit 14 Die Februarii * 
 
 Anno Bui 1674. 
 
 Arms : 
 
 Quarterly I. baldwyn. II. wigley. III. ciiilde IV. 
 acheley, with a crescent for difference in the centre. 
 
 Crest — baldwyn, with helmet and mantling. 
 Mural. North wall of chancel. Engraved in Miscel- 
 lanea Genealogica et IJeraldica, 2 S. Vol. iii. p. 136. 
 
 DKAYTON . 
 Kowland Corbet, c. 1580. 
 
 Quadrangular plate, 24 inches by 18 inches, with small 
 kneeling effigy of Rowland Corbet in civil dress with a 
 scroll from his mouth inscribed : — 
 
 Jtttscrcrc met ticus. 
 
 He wears a long gown, open down the front and 
 fastened round the waist by a cord, the sleeves are close 
 fitting and from the shoulders hang long false sleeves. 
 
 Below is a black letter inscription in eight elegiac 
 verses : — 
 
 Utoulanbus patrts (JTorbctt iufctcfe teres 
 
 Brcttona; stutrtis tempora Iacta trans 
 
 Inct&t't in morbum subtto bttaq? mtgrauit 
 
 Bcstitucns djart fcmlcia bota patu's 
 
 Botibus bunc bants nature bentgna creautt 
 
 Jttors nullt parents mufatosa tultt 
 
 Jtunc fruiter ©bristo celestt setre receptus 
 
 ^recesstt breuiter nosq? sequcmur cum.
 
 62 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 On the upper part of the plate are two shields of 
 arms : — 
 
 (Dexter) — Quarterly of seven — I. Or, a raven ppr. 
 Corbet. II. Az., six lioncels rampant 3, 2 and 1 within 
 a bordure engrailed or. leybourne. III. Gu., semee 
 of crosses crosslet a lion rampant or. hopton. IV. Gu., 
 semee of crosses crosslet three lucies hauriant 2 and 1 or. 
 lucy. V. Arg., three chevronells sa. archdeacon. 
 VI. Gu., two bars vair. saye. VII. Barry of six sa. 
 and or, on a chief of the second two pallets of the first, an 
 escutcheon of pretence erm. charged with three bars gu. 
 BURLEY. Over all a mullet . . . for difference. 
 
 (Sinister) — Az., two bars arg., on a canton sa., a chevron 
 between three pheons of the second, charged with a wolfs 
 head erased between two mullets gu. hill. These arms 
 were allowed to Alice Corbet by William Hervey, Claren- 
 cieux, in 1562 (See Trans. Shropshire Arch. Soc, vol. vi, 
 p. 449). 
 
 Below the inscription are the two shields impaled. 
 
 The whole is enclosed within an ornamental border and 
 is fixed on the east wall of the chancel. 
 
 Eowland Corbet was son and heir of Eeginald Corbet, a 
 judge of the Common Pleas, 1559-66, by his wife Alice, a 
 daughter of John Gratewood, by Jane, sister of Sir 
 Eowland Hill, Knt., Lord Mayor of London. 
 
 EDGMOND. 
 Francis Yonge, Esq., 1533, and wife Anne. 
 
 A curious brass originally consisting of two figures, an 
 inscription, two groups of children, a shield with the 
 emblems of the Passion and two scrolls, two shields of 
 arms, and the symbols of the Evangelists. The inscription, 
 the shield of the Passion, one scroll, and one daughter now 
 lost. 
 
 The effigies are turned sideways. Francis Yonge in a 
 shroud open at the top and bottom to show the bust and 
 feet and gathered up under the right arm, his hair is long 
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 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 63 
 
 Anne his wife is represented in ordinary attire, she 
 wears the kennel shaped head-dress, an undergown with 
 tight slashed sleeves with frills at the wrists, an over- 
 gown cut low at the neck and having short wide sleeves. 
 This gown is looped up in front, trimmed with fur and 
 fastened round the waist by a girdle with an ornamented 
 buckle from which lianas a chain terminating in a 
 pomander box. A rosary is also suspended from the 
 girdle. 
 
 Below the figures was the following inscription, now 
 lost, but here given from Randle Holme's transcript in the 
 British Museum, Harl. MS. 2,129, fol. 194 b (or 145) :— 
 
 " <&i pr cfmu'nj lie stall prarj fori]* soulls of ffrancis |9onge some* 
 trjmcs of Caynton (£sq? sone & fjeire of & Wlift Honge fc* : & 
 frame matgtt ftts tot'fc tiau. of iBtcrj : (Sgton ISsq? to^ ffrancis 
 Ucptctr tfjt's txiorltr gc last trap of marcij_g p tjeare of our Ho : Jft0 
 <&■<&<&(&<&* xxxiifi. & for $* sol of &ne late fotfeto ffrancis torn: of 
 Iftt'crj c&oriton of glpplcn (JBsq? & Icltsabcj. rjt's mile tiougrjter to 
 <Mtt Jtflatjnfoarrjngof Hgjjtfeto 4Bsci? forf> Ene tfecessetJ xxiitj trarj of 
 August rjf ncare of our ILorti JW.&& off on mljos souls 3Hm fjaue 
 mercn .^men." 
 
 Below the inscription and under the man is a group of 
 nine sons in civil dress. Note the curious position of their 
 heads. Under the lady is a group of five daughters, the 
 fifth unfortunately lost, the first, third, and fourth have 
 long flowing hair with close fitting gowns with fur cuffs 
 and edging. The second has a somewhat similar dress 
 with the addition of an overgown with large turned back 
 collar, her hair is confined in a sort of cap. These figures 
 are rather worn. 
 
 Between the heads of the principal figures was a 
 shield bearing the emblems of the Passion. This has dis- 
 appeared within recent years. Above the shield were two 
 scrolls, but one only remains on the dexter side. It bears 
 the following inscription : — 
 
 <Shunq3 <52|ulnera tret sunt 
 mefctctna &t'e mee 
 
 The sinister was lost before 1793, but is given by Eandle 
 Holme as bearing; — 
 
 " <5)ra pro me scte 
 3M)annes iSapttsta " 
 
 b
 
 64 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 Above the figures are two shields of arms, that over the 
 man bears ; — 
 
 Quarterly I. Or, three roses 2 and 1 gu. yonge. II. 
 Arg., seven lozenges conjoined each charged with an ermine 
 spot, helstow. III. Arg., a pale nebuly sa. caynton. 
 IV. Or, a fess between three lio?is rampant gu. renarton. 
 impaling Quarterly I and IV . Or, a fret az. eyton. 
 II and III. Gu., two bars erm. pantulf. 
 
 That over the lady bears : — Quarterly I and IV. Or, a 
 lion rampant gu., debruised by a bendlet, arg. Charl- 
 ton. II and III. Gu., ten bezants, 4, 3, 2, and 1 . 
 zouch. impaling Quarterly I and IV. Arg., two bars gu. 
 maynwaryng. II and III. Chequy arg. and sa. warren. 
 
 At four corners of the stone are the symbols of the 
 Evangelists, St. Mark in the upper dexter, St. Matthew in 
 the upper sinister, St. John in the lower dexter, and St. 
 Luke in the lower sinister corner. 
 
 The effigies are 30 inches in height, and the size of the 
 whole composition is 7 feet by 3 feet 6 inches. It is on 
 the nave floor. 
 
 Eandle Holme gives a sketch of the brass perfect, and 
 notes " this gravestone in the middle ile over against the 
 pulpit." 
 
 Francis Yonge, Esq., of Caynton, was the son and heir 
 of Sir William Yonge, Knt., sheriff of Shropshire in 1492, 
 by Dame Margaret his wife, a daughter of Nicholas 
 Eyton, Esq., of Eyton. Francis Yonge married Anne, a 
 daughter of Eichard Charlton, Esq., of Appley, by his wife 
 Elizabeth, a daughter of William Maynwaryng, Esq.. 
 of Ightfield. Francis died in 1533, and Anne in 
 1507. The Visitation of Shropshire, 1623, gives the 
 names of their children, viz., Cecilia, Anne, Elizabeth, 
 Margaret, William, Eoger, Eichard, John, Thomas, John, 
 George, Anthony, Adam. The sixth son, John, succeeded 
 his father, the rest seem to have died early or childless. 
 All the daughters were married. 
 
 The heraldry on this monument is somewhat singular, 
 for in each case there is the impaled shield of the father 
 and mother of the persons commemorated, but there is no 
 shield showing the alliance between husband and wife. 
 
 The brass is also curious from the fact that the survivor 
 is represented in a shroud. The wife, who died in 1507,
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 65 
 
 is here shown in the ordinary costume worn at the date of 
 her husband's death. There does not seem to be any re- 
 cord of a second wife who survived him, and the heraldry 
 points conclusively to his w T ife Anne Charlton. Had there 
 been a second and surviving wife, she would either have 
 added her own figure with her shield of arms properly 
 displayed, or have caused the first wife to be represented 
 like her husband in a shroud. Figures of husband and 
 wife in shrouds are not uncommon, but in the case of one 
 surviving the other it is more usual to find the survivor 
 represented in ordinary attire. 
 
 GLAZELEY. 
 Thomas Wylde, Esq., 1599, and wife Elizabeth. 
 
 Full length effigies turned sideways. Thomas Wylde in 
 doublet, ruff, trunk hose and cloak, with long sword 
 suspended from a narrow belt. His wife Elizabeth, 
 daughter and heiress of Eichard Cooke, Esq., wears the 
 " Paris hede," a large ruff, a long peaked stomacher, an 
 embroidered petticoat, and an upper or overgown with a 
 large farthingale extending the dress from the hips. 
 
 Below the figures is an inscription in five lines : 
 
 HERE LYETH BVRYED THE BODYE OF THOMAS WYLDE 
 
 ESQ. DECEASSED, WHO MARRYED W TH ELIZABETH THE 
 
 DAVGHTER & HEIRE OF RICHARD COOKE ESQ. BY WHOM 
 
 HE HAD ISSVE 4 SONNES & 2 DAVGHTERS, AND ENDED 
 
 THIS MORTALL LIFE THE XX DAY OF IVNE A . DNI. 1599. 
 
 On plates below the inscription are the effigies of the 
 four sons and two daughters. The two elder sons are in 
 doublet, trunk hose and cloaks, the two younger in long 
 tunics alone; the elder daughter, a larger figure than any of 
 the children, wears a costume similar to that of her mother, 
 with the addition of a high-crowned hat; the younger 
 daughter, a very much smaller figure, is in a similar 
 costume with the exception of the hat, but much plainer in 
 detail. 
 
 b 2
 
 66 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 Above the figures are three coats of arms. The centre 
 one on a square plate with helmet, crest and mantling 
 bears — Quarterly I and IV. arg., a chevron, sa., on a 
 chief gu. three martlets of the first, wylde. II and III. . 
 . . a cross . . . charged with a crescent for difference 
 Crest. A lion passant gu. resting the dexter paw on an 
 escutcheon arg. wylde. 
 
 The shield on the dexter side bears — Quarterly. 
 
 I. . . a chevron between three beasts' heads erased . . . 
 cooke. II. Erm., on a chevron . . . three escallops 
 or. III. . . . a fess between three birds' heads erased . . 
 
 IV. (sa)., three goats passant (arg.), within a bordure 
 (or) pellety. stanfield. 
 
 The shield on the sinister side bears wylde impaling 
 
 COOKE. 
 
 The effigies measure 28 inches in height and the brass 
 is now placed on the chancel wall. 
 
 HAELEY. 
 
 A man in armour (of the Lacon family?) and 
 
 wife, c. 1475. 
 
 A curious brass evidently the work of some local 
 school of engravers, most probably from Coventry. The 
 male effigy is in complete plate armour, bare headed with 
 head resting on tilting helmet. Round the neck is a chain 
 composed of plain links. The shoulder pieces are of a 
 curious shape and have upright ridges. The elbow pieces 
 are small ; the gauntlets have overlapping plates and large 
 peaked cuffs. The skirt of taces is composed of two 
 layers only but has fair sized tuilles strapped to the lower- 
 most layer on the sides of the thigh. The knee pieces 
 have plates above and below and larger plates spreading 
 out behind. The sollerets are long and pointed with 
 unguarded rowel spurs. At the feet is a greyhound. The 
 sword is suspended from a narrow belt crossing the taces 
 diagonally, and a small dagger is suspended on the right 
 side.
 
 
 slfcifiriamniafcii mm MMM$ifl$aBBpM 
 
 A MAN IN ARMOUR (OF THE LACON FAMILY?) AND WIFE. 
 
 C. 1470
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES TN SHROPSHIRE. 67 
 
 The lady wears the butterfly or wired head-dress which 
 necessitated the figure being turned sideways in order to 
 show it to advantage. Her oversown is cut low at the 
 neck and has fur edging and cuffs, the long skirt is 
 gathered up and hangs over the left arm. 
 
 Below the figures are eight Latin verses in black letter, 
 four under each figure : 
 
 ^Jutrt&a Japsa caro costtmit 9 bt fim 9 agro 
 ©amc cu flato tie 9 en'gat crijcrc daro 
 ©t stti p 9 &c.xtra ponat 9 sorbe rcpulsa 
 C5tia ?ncxa sit lacrima scm^ attttlsa. 
 
 ©uts (tuts eris qui trast'erts sta plcgc plora 
 Sbu quoti eris fuera q> quofl eg p me p 9 cor ora 
 JWors btta mactat ataht xps q? reuibat 
 itrra t 9 ra tegat sptrittts alta petat. 
 
 Which may be expanded thus : 
 
 Putrida lapsa caro consumitur ut fimus agro 
 Carnem cum flato deus erigat ethere claro 
 Et sui prse dextra ponatur sorde repulsa 
 Gloria connexa sit lacrima semper avulsa. 
 
 Quis quis eris qui transieris sta perlege plora 
 Sum quod eris fueram que quod es pro me precor ora 
 Mors vitam mactat animam Cristusque revivat 
 Terrain terra tegat spiritus alta petat. 
 
 Of this the Rev. J. E. Field has kindly made the 
 following translation*: 
 
 o 
 
 " Rotting and wasting away is my flesh like dang in the furrow : 
 That flesh upon heaven's bright way may God's Breath upraise on 
 
 the morrow ; 
 Set it at His right hand, and from all pollution deliver, 
 Where is the glor}- attained, and the tear is banished for ever." 
 
 " Who so thou art that passetV this part, stay and read with 
 
 contrition : 
 I am what thou shalt be and I once was like thee : bid for me thy 
 
 petition. 
 Though my life by death's hand be slain, yet my soul may Christ 
 
 quicken again : 
 Though my dust in the dust may lie, let my spirit be wafted on 
 
 high."
 
 68 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 Below the inscription are the smaller effigies of eight 
 sons (the heads of three lost) in civil dress, and of five 
 daughters (the head of one lost). 
 
 One shield only remains, now above the man's head, it 
 bears — Quarterly per f ess indented (erm.) and (az.), in the 
 first quarter a bird . . . lacon. impaling . 
 three bends , again impaling . . . on a chief 
 
 a bird ... 
 
 Three other shields and, according to the Shropshire 
 Transactions, a double canopy above the figures are lost. 
 
 The male effigy measures 26|- inches in height and the 
 female 25 inches. 
 
 The brass was formerly in the north aisle but at the 
 restoration was moved into the Tower. It is engraved in 
 the Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological Society, 
 vol. vi. p. 329. 
 
 IGHTFIELD. 
 I. 
 
 Dame Margery Calveley, widow of Philip Egerton, 
 dec. 1509, but brass engraved, c. 1495. 
 
 Large full length effigy under good triple canopy with 
 marginal inscription. The figure turned slightly to the 
 right, is represented wearing the kennel-shaped head-dress 
 with long ornamented lappets, a plain close fitting gown, 
 cut square at the neck and having large fur cuffs at the 
 wrists. Round the hips is an ornamented girdle clasped by 
 three rosettes from which hang a long chain terminating 
 in a bell-shaped ornament. On the right, at the feet of 
 the figure, are the small effigies of four sons in civil dress. 
 On the left are four daughters in kennel-shaped head-dresses 
 and close fitting gowns. From the mouth of the figure of 
 Dame Margery proceeds a scroll inscribed : — 
 
 &ce golmes bapttsta <©ra pro me 
 
 Above the figure is a triple canopy of a debased 
 character, highly decorative but heavy in its detail; in the
 
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 M offlxom
 
 ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST, FROM THE BKASS TO 
 
 DAME MABGEBY CAITELEY, C. 1495. 
 
 IGHTFIELD, SHROPSHIEE. 
 
 £ linear.
 
 70 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 centre pediment is a quatrefoil enclosing a shield on which 
 is the initial P. M. E. for Philip and Margery Egerton. 
 The centre finial terminates in a small figure of St. John 
 the Baptist holding in his left hand a book whereon is the 
 Holy Lamb and banner. A curious feature in St. John's 
 raiment is the representation of the camel's neck and head 
 forming a pendant to his skin robe. Some of the smaller 
 finials of the canopy are lost. 
 
 A marginal inscription in black letter encloses the 
 whole : — 
 
 f^ere Igetf) frame JUargerg ODalbtlcy fcrotogfjter ^o William 
 JWagnfoargng late of Sgftffefr Sbutgme fogf unto Pfrilipp Sgerton 
 late of ©gerton squgcr bp tf)e tofricl) P)ilipp sf)e fjati tfjtse GMjiloren 
 tlje foljicf) IBeccssgti tlje frag of tfje gere of ofore lotii 
 
 Jfl <&<£(£(£ on mftos souk t&u fjabe meg a me. 
 
 At the four corners in the place of the usual symbols of 
 the Evangelists are four shields all apparently bearing 
 chequy (arg.) and (sa.), for wajiren, of Ightfield. 
 
 The effigy measures 42 inches in height and the size of 
 the whole composition is 7 ft. 6 ins. by 3 ft. 6 ins. It lies 
 at the west end of the north aisle. 
 
 Dame Margery, a daughter of William Maynwaryng, of 
 Ightfield, was thrice married; firstly to Philip Egerton, 
 Esq., of Egerton, who was aged 26 years in 38 Hen. VI., 
 and died 13 Edw. IV. (Inquis. post mort). Of their 
 children, John, the eldest son was 15 years of age at the 
 time of his father's death, and died 1 Ric. III. {Inquis. 
 p. m.). The second son, Sir Ralph, was chief ranger of Dela- 
 mere forest and standard bearer of England. The other two 
 may have died young. The daughters were Anne, Katherine, 
 Ellen, and Elizabeth, all subsequently married. Dame 
 Margery's second husband was Thomas Hurleton, of whom 
 no details are known ; her third, Sir Hugh Calveley, Knt., 
 of Lee, who was aged 12 years in 11 Hen. VI. and died 
 10 Hen. VII. (Inquis. p. m.). Dame Margery died 
 1 Hen. VIII. (Inquis. p. m). 
 
 The brass was laid down in her lifetime and after her 
 third marriage, but the date of death has never been 
 filled in.
 
 &iiiiaE»"^fiiMliuariorto tin? mm M WuflitM tfie 9ft? m of 
 
 20" 
 
 —I 
 
 THE GOOD" WILLIAM MAYNWARYNG. 
 1497. 
 IQHTFIELD, SALOP.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 71 
 
 IT. 
 
 William Maynwaryng, 1497. 
 
 Full length effigy, head lost, wearing a long tunic lined 
 with fur, the sleeves full, of uniform breadth and edged 
 with fur. The close fitting sleeves of an under-dress 
 appear at the wrists. The tunic is confined round the 
 waist by a girdle to which are attached a rosary, one end 
 of which is secured by a tassel and the other by a hook 
 from which hangs a signet ring, a gypciere or pouch and 
 a long anelace with a small knife, called the u ' bastardeau," 
 placed beside the hilt. This is a late example of the use 
 of the anelace ; the same method of carrying the knife may 
 be seen on a stone effigy of a knight at Yatton, Somerset, 
 and on the effigy of William Canyngs, at St. Mary Redcliffe, 
 Bristol. The shoes are broad with round toes. 
 
 Below the figure is a black letter inscription in four 
 lines : — 
 
 f^cre Ijoett) tfje CGootr (MUtam Jttagntoargng tfje sbeconti sone of 
 
 f^afofegn Jtomtoarimcj 
 z Jttarctarete f)ts fopf troucjiner z fmre of (Srpffpn S23arcn h Hafcm of 
 
 Eojmfd&c foljtcfje _ 
 asaUltam foas &spcctall tmf actor to tfjt's Crjurcfjc anfcr fje tmsscspti 
 
 tfjc sbprt ttag of 
 JWarcfcc &nno tmt mtllto ©©©©n H£SS£FMa on fofjos ^ofoks 
 
 gotr almpgfttp fjaue m'ccp &men. 
 
 The figure in its present condition measures 39 inches 
 in height and 14 inches from elbow to elbow. The 
 inscription plate measures 28 inches by 5 inches. The 
 head was lost previously to 1793. 
 
 " The good " William Maynwaryng was the second son 
 of Hawkyn Maynwaryng by his wife Margaret, daughter 
 and heiress of Gryffin Waren, and Lady of Ightfield. He 
 was also a special benefactor to the church. 
 
 For many years this brass has been missing from the 
 church. It disappeared during a restoration, in fact 
 passed as a builder's perquisite, probably because it 
 wanted a head. However, within the last few months it has
 
 72 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 been fortunately recovered and is now in the possession of 
 the Eev. J. Cooper Wood, the Clive Vicarage, Shrewsbury, 
 to whom the writer is indebted for facilities for taking the 
 rubbing from which the illustration is reproduced. Mr. 
 Wood proposes to replace the brass in its original place. 1 
 Of its identification there can be no doubt, in the British 
 Museum, Add. MSS. 21,236, fol. 266, is a sketch of the 
 brass made in Ightfield Church on August 28th, 1793. It 
 is also mentioned in Haines Manual under Ightfield. 
 
 MYDDLE. 
 
 Haines' in his List of Brasses, under Middle mentions 
 the existence of (1) A man in armour, c. 1490, peculiar 
 (i.e., by a local or Warwickshire artist) ; (2) A fragment, 
 seven sons (Corbet family?), c. 1530. 
 
 Of these two brasses there is no record. No mention 
 of them occurs in Gough's History of Myddle, nor is anything 
 to be found in the various manuscript collections of Shrop- 
 shire church notes in the British Museum. The present 
 rector, who has held office for nearly fifty years, has never 
 seen any trace of them. 
 
 I. 
 
 Arthur Chambre, 1564, and wife Margaret. 
 
 Full length effigies turned sideways. Arthur Chambre 
 in ruff, doublet, trunk hose, and fur-lined gown, with long 
 false sleeves. His wife wears the " Paris hede," ruff, 
 overgown with turned back collar and puffed and slashed 
 sleeves, from the waist the overgown is open showing 
 the undergown and from a long cord hangs an ornament, 
 perhaps a pomander-box. 
 
 1 Since the aboye was written the have it placed in a new slab and laid down 
 
 brass has been placed in the hands of in the church ; the head is to be restored 
 
 Mr. A. P. Heywood Lonsdale, patron of and a short inscription stating this 
 
 the living of Ightfield, who is about to added.
 
 PjL^^&U^ J^yf^ *~^&iv of 9H~ < ^<JU^>£<f V^uf^cJ^^
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES L\ T SHROPSHIRE. 73 
 
 Below the figures is a black letter inscription in six 
 lines : — 
 
 fiacre Irjctfj burgrti In tfjc mcrcrj of fflbcsus ©fju'st yc bofcrnc of glrt&u= 
 rc GDJjamfiw gctnlma trctoe ^atronc of tin's ytssfje cfjurcfjc of Jttfo- 
 fclc an& Jtflargarctt his tonfc by i)ir fjc fjafc jssuc one sonnc anU 
 one tiougfjter fofjicrje gtrtfjurc beceassntf tfje xtx tray of August 
 tit tf)c nerc of our lorb goto a JW<OT©(!D1LXmf robot's botmc z 
 soull (Soft graunte a *l[jorjeutU rcsurrexcnon &men. 
 
 Below the figures are the small effigies of a son and a 
 daughter on a single plate. 
 
 Above the figures is a shield of arms : — 
 
 Arg., a fess compony or and az. between three lions heads 
 erased sa., ivithin a hordure gu. charged with eight escallops 
 of the first, chambre. impaling, Quarterly I. and IV. 
 Or, a lion rampant gu .Charlton. II. and III. gu. ten 
 bezants 4. 3. 2. and 1. zouch. 
 
 The effigies measure 21 inches in height and the brass 
 lies on the chancel floor. It has been reiaid. 
 
 Arthur Chambres, " de Petton," married Margaret, 
 daughter of Francis Charlton, of Appley, Salop. 
 
 II. 
 
 Eaphe Kinaston, M.A., parson, 1629. 
 
 Inscription only. Size of plate 17J by 10^ inches. 
 
 Here lyeth y e body of Eaphe Kinaston 
 
 M E of Arts, Prebend of S t Asaph, Chap- 
 
 laind to King Iames, Parson of Middle 
 
 wheare after 33 ye ares he had care- 
 
 fuly and eeligiovsly performed his 
 
 Calling, his sovle went vnto his 
 
 maker to give accovmpt theereof 
 
 November the 8 : Anno : Dni 1629 
 
 Anno : iETAT : 69 
 
 Chancel.
 
 74 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE 
 
 III. 
 
 Sarah, wife of Joshua Richardson, 1651. 
 
 Inscription only. Size of plate 26 by 11^ inches. 
 Heere lieth interred the body of Sarah the 
 
 WIFE OF IOSHVA ElCHARDSON OF BROVGHTO GeN T 
 
 BY WHOME HEE HAD TENNE SONS, & SIX DAVGHTER 8 
 
 SHEE DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE XI th DAY OF MAY. An 
 
 Dni : ) 651 Anoqz JEtatis suae sexagesinia 
 
 Thy gaine my losse my greife I must svppresse 
 Least I shovld seeme to grvdge thy happiness 
 
 My STARR IS SETT ON EARTH IN HEAVEN TO SHINE 
 ElSE SOVLE EMBRACE THE SVN THY LOSSE IS GAINE 
 
 Chancel. 
 
 ONIBUEY. 
 Dorothy Pytt, 1657. 
 
 Inscription only. 
 
 In ofcttum Uorotije pgtt 
 cfjausstmae tuorts IE. ^. 
 
 HERE LIES DIVORCED FROM HER HVSBAND's SIDE 
 
 ONE THAT BY DEATH IS MADE HER SAVIOVIl's BRIDE 
 
 FOR ON GOOD FRIDAY HE DID HER BETROTH 
 
 VNTO HIMSELF FOR EVER WHERE HE GOTH 
 
 AND THVS VNITED SHE A GVEST BECAME 
 
 VNTO THE MARRIAGE SVPPER OF THE LAMBE 
 
 LEAVING HER EARTHLY MATE GRIEFE TO SVSTAINE 
 
 TILL DEATH BY STRICKING HIM WEDDS HER AGAINE 
 
 OH LANGVISH THEN MY SOVLE VNTILL I SEE 
 
 MY DEAREST WIFE IN HER FELICITIE. 
 
 1657. 
 South wall of chancel.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 75 
 
 SHIPTON. 
 Inscription only. 
 
 Sf)ts (Efjauncdl tuns icctiificti anU buttoefc 
 of ntfoe from t^c founbact'on anfc gla?cfc 
 at tfjr cfjartiges of ^ofjn ILuttot'cfj nomwst 
 sonnc of IHtcfjarfcf Uuttotcfj of Uuttotcfjc 
 tn tfjc xxxi ncarc of tfje (Gracious 
 wipe of ®ueent I5li?anetfj 1589. 
 
 North wall of chancel. 
 
 SHREWSBURY, ST. ALKMUND. 
 
 LOST BRASSES. 
 
 " At the hasty and most shameful destruction of the 
 church of St. Alkmund, Shrewsbury, about the close of 
 the last century, ' no care was taken to preserve the 
 numerous gravestones, brasses, tombs, and other ancient 
 memorials with which the aisles and chapels abounded. 
 They were involved, with very few exceptions, in the 
 general havoc, the brasses were sold by weight, and the 
 gravestones dispersed and converted to common uses.' : 
 Haines' Manual, Introd. p. 258 quoting Owen and Blake- 
 way s Hist, of Shrewsbury, II. p. 299. 
 
 "In 1794 a gentleman went to copy the inscriptions on 
 the brasses at St. Alkmund's, Shrewsbury, and found that 
 they had been sold by order of the churchwardens to a 
 neighbouring brazier." Gent. Mag., 1794, pt. II, 
 p. 1,087. 
 
 " Some of the Shrewsbury brasses are probably in the 
 possession of a gentleman in the neighbourhood." Haines, 
 Introd. p. 258. 
 
 The gentleman referred to was Mr. Smith, of 
 
 Eadbrook, near Shrewsbury, in whose possession were the 
 following: — I. A civilian, c. 1520. II. A civilian, c. 1520. 
 III. A lady, c. 1520. IV. A civilian and wife, c. 1530, 
 Haines, Private Possession, &c, p. 235. See also Notes and
 
 76 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 Queries, I S, vol. xi, p. 499. Mr. Smith has been dead 
 for many years and all trace of these brasses is now lost. 
 
 In the British Museum, Add. MSS. 21, 236-37, are two 
 volumes entitled — Drawings of Monuments and Inscrip- 
 tions from churches and chapels in Shropshire executed by the 
 Rev. Edward Williams, 1792-1803, with indexes to each 
 volume. Paper. Folio. Some of the St. Alkmund brasses 
 are drawn in 21, 236, fol. 71, et. seq , under date May 24th, 
 1793. Others are figured in Owen and Blakeways History 
 of Shrewsbury, vol. ii, p. 286, principally taken from 
 Mr. Mytton's MSS. 
 
 The volume containing Mr. Mytton's drawings is not 
 with his other collections now in the British Museum. A 
 MS. of Dugdale's also referred to by the Shrewsbury 
 Historian is not now to be found. 
 
 From the above and other minor sources the following 
 account is drawn. 
 
 I. 
 
 Simon Walshe and wife Joan, c. 1370. 
 
 Owen and Blakeway, vol. ii, p. 288, give a rough 
 engraving of this brass and the following account : — 
 
 " A rich brass, in the middle aisle, of a man and woman under two 
 rich niches. He in a coat to his knees, and short cloak, with a 
 beast at his feet, and this inscription on a plate of brass fixed on a 
 large marble " : — 
 
 u flit jacent pinion SSJalsfjc $r 3Jof)ana uxor c(us quorum ammabus 
 p 9 pfctetur tmprecor tints." 
 
 The Eev. Edward Williams' drawing in Add. MS. 21, 
 236, fol. 74, taken May 24th, 1793, makes the brass small 
 but set in a very large stone. The indent of the inscription 
 plate is shown as long and narrow. The brass was then 
 " in the middle of the nave on a grey marble slab." 
 Unfortunately neither Blakeway nor Williams give the 
 dimensions of the slab or the size of the brass. 
 
 This brass must have been a very curious one, and may 
 have been of foreign origin, but neither of the drawings 
 are satisfactory, and leave much to be desired. The 
 general design showed the figures of a civilian and wife,
 
 A CIVILIAN. 
 C. 1400. 
 
 From drawings in Brit. Mus., Add. MS. 21,236, fols. 74, 83.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 77 
 
 c. 1370, under a double canopy. Below was a narrow 
 inscription plate. The man was represented with long 
 hair and beard, and wore the short tight fitting cotehardie 
 with cape and hood ; from under the cape hang the long 
 liripipes or streamers of the hood. Round the hips was 
 an ornamented belt, and the legs were clothed in tight 
 hose. At his feet was a " beast," but whether lion, dog, 
 or what, it is impossible to say. 
 
 The lady apparently wore some sort of head-dress with 
 a veil, and according to Blakeway's engraving a tight 
 fitting kirtle, but Williams' drawing gives in addition long 
 liripipes hanging from the shoulders. 
 
 The canopy consisted of two arches with cusping in the 
 heads, the shafts ornamented with quatrefoils carried 
 round the heads. The outer buttresses divided into 
 niches with small figures (saints or weepers ?) therein, 
 two on each side, and finished with pinnacles. Over 
 the main arches was a mass of tabernacle and finial 
 work. 
 
 The design of the canopy is somewhat similar to that of 
 the Flemish example at North Mimms, Middlesex c. 1360. 
 As regards size, if Mr. Williams' drawing is to be relied 
 upon, the small Flemish brass at Aveley, Essex, may be 
 compared with this example. 
 
 H. 
 
 A MAN IN ARMOUR AND WIFE, C. 1380. 
 
 Add. MS. 21, 236, fol. 82, gives only the figure of the 
 lady together with the canopy, but the engraving in Owen 
 and Blakeway shows the lower portion of the man. 
 When the Rev. Edward Williams made his drawing on 
 May 24th, 1793, the brass was " under north wall of 
 chancel on west side of north transept." 
 
 The figures had their right hands joined, the left hand 
 of the man grasped his sword belt, whilst his wife held 
 the cord of her mantle. Judging from Blakeway's 
 engraving the man seems to have worn the bascinet and 
 camail with a tight fitting jupon over his body armour. 
 A rich bawdric supported his sword, on the centre boss
 
 78 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 was the letter 3&. The legs were protected by cuisses, 
 large genouillieres, and jambs of plate. The feet were 
 then wanting. 
 
 The lady wore the nebule head-dress with the hair 
 falling to the shoulders, a close-fitting kirtle buttoned 
 down the front, the sleeves tight and buttoned under- 
 neath, the cuffs large and reaching to the knuckles. 
 
 Over all was a mantle fastened across the breast by a 
 short cord. From her left hand hun^ a short chain ter- 
 initiating in a small ornament. At her feet was a small 
 dog with a collar of bells. 
 
 Over each figure was a triple canopy with an entab- 
 lature above, and according to the drawings the canopy 
 was groined. There appears also to have been a marginal 
 inscription. 
 
 Nothing is known of the persons represented on this 
 brass. Owen and Blakeway give an illustration, Vol. ii, p. 
 286, and the following account : — 
 
 " An extremely rich brass, representing a warrior and lady hand 
 in hand, under two most elaborate Gothick canopies : at her feet a 
 little dog. This is unnoticed by Dugdale ; and the upper half of the 
 man was stripped off before Mr. W. Mytton saw it. It was let into a 
 very large slab of granite, 8 feet by 3 feet 7 inches ; but without 
 either arms or legend to indicate the persons intended. The stone, 
 however, had been subsequently employed to record the interment 
 of another person by the following inscription, which ran along the 
 ledge : — 
 
 MARY DAUGHTER TO IHON OTTELEY GENT. AND WYFE TO 
 
 RICHARD OWEN MERCER GENT. DECESSED An'o D'NI 1568. 
 
 The fourth word of this legend must, we conceive, be the remains of 
 Thom. : for Mary, the daughter and co-heir of Thomas Ottley, of 
 Shrewsbury, did marry Richard Owen of the same town, and we can 
 find no other family of the names in which so many particulars 
 concur. The time agrees as well as the names, for the articles of the 
 marriage bear date, Oct. 9, 23 Hen. VIII. 1531, and from this union 
 sprung the learned judge Thomas Owen." 
 
 III. 
 
 A Civilian, c. 1400. 
 
 In Owen and Blakevmy, vol. ii, p. 288, is a rude 
 engraving of a brass " supposed Barker's," showing the 
 figure of a civilian, with mantle and anelace, under a
 
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 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 79 
 
 single canopy, the side shafts then existing but the upper 
 part lost and shown in outline only. The indents of two 
 shields above the canopy are also shown, one on the 
 sinister apparently a merchant mark as the cross and 
 streamers appear above the shield proper. The following 
 account is also given: — 
 
 " On a stone 7 feet 8 inches by within the rails of the 
 
 communion table towards the south, a brass of a man in a gown, 
 with a dagger by his side, standing under a rich canopy. In 
 Mr. Mytton's time this was ' supposed to be one of the Barkers of 
 Haghmond ' : but that family did not settle there till after the 
 Dissolution, and this brass seems much more ancient. If the dagger 
 did not oppose the notion, we should call the figure an ecclesiastick." 
 
 The Rev. Edward Williams' drawing in Add. MS. 21, 
 236, fol. 83, dated May 24th, 1793, represents the figure 
 alone, and is apparently reversed ; his drawing may 
 perhaps have been copied from an impression taken by 
 means of printer's ink, and the fact that he was drawing 
 from a reversed impression overlooked. That Mr. Williams 
 occasionally made such impressions is proved by a copy 
 of the Pontesbury inscription taken at this date and now 
 bound into his collections. 
 
 The figure represented a civilian with close cropped 
 hair and forked beard. The closely buttoned tight- 
 fitting sleeves of an under-dress appeared at the wrists, 
 over this was a tunic with close fitting sleeves, and over 
 all an ample mantle buttoned on the right shoulder and 
 gathered up under the left arm. From an ornamented 
 belt passing over the left shoulder hung an anelace. 
 The shoes were long and pointed. To the mantle was 
 attached a hood. Similar figures exist at Northleach, c. 
 1400, and at Chipping Campden, 1401, both in Gloucester- 
 shire, and engraved in BouteWs Series of Monumental 
 Brasses. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Thomas Corbet, Esq., 1436, and wife Ancaret. 
 
 Owen and Blakeway, vol. ii, p. 287, give an engraving 
 of this brass and the following account : — 
 
 " A large slab, 10 feet 7 inches by 4 feet 9 inches, in the south aisle, 
 thereon brasses of a warrior and lady : he is helmeted and in plate 
 
 C
 
 80 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 armour, his face disclosed, his hands joined in prayer, by his side a 
 sword and dagger ; his feet resting on a lion. The lady in a flat but 
 highly adorned head-dress, her veil thrown back : robed in a long 
 open mantle; at her feet two small dogs. Four shields decorated this 
 tomb : three of which had disappeared in Mr. Mytton's time : but 
 when Dugdale visited the church, that over the man's head bore the 
 single raven of Corbet, and the fourth, under the lady's feet, bore the 
 same coat, impaling three pallets surmounted of Barry of seven : 
 intended, no doubt, for the arms of Barre. There was no inscription 
 remaining, but Mr. Mytton describes the stone as remaining in the 
 Talbot's chancel, and said to be of that family : and he afterwards 
 found in a book of William Salisbury's of Rug, the great genealogist, 
 the following inscription, which proves the correctness of the tradi- 
 tion." 
 
 9 
 
 "p|{t facmt ^fjornas (Boxbti tie JWorton armtger ct ^nacrjorcta 
 uxor ejus filta Wponwt 23ara mtlttts junior &• tmec gMtctee uxorts tf 
 soror 9 Gobi's tint Talbot qui cruiotm Stomas obttt Jtt. &<£<£<£-- 
 SSXFE ^ ptica <anfeattta obttt trie anno." 
 
 The Eev. Edward Williams gives a very careful drawing 
 of this brass in Add. MS. 21, 236, fol. 71, under date 
 May 24th, 1793, and notes that it was then in the " South 
 Chancel." 
 
 The brass consisted of two effigies, four shields of arms on 
 large quatrefoils, and a marginal inscription with, probably, 
 the symbols of the Evangelists at the corners. Thomas 
 Corbet was represented in complete plate armour, 
 wearing the slightly pointed bascinet, plate gorget, 
 epaulieres composed of overlapping plates, coutes slightly 
 heart shaped, gauntlets with large peaked cuffs, breastplate 
 with pallets to defend the armpits. A long skirt of taces 
 with two small tuilles buckled on the bottom, cuisses, 
 genouillieres, and jambs protect the legs, the feet being 
 encased in pointed sollerets with rowel spurs. The sword 
 was suspended from a narrow ornamented belt crossing 
 the skirt of taces diagonally. At the left side was fastened 
 the misericorde. Under the feet was a lion. 
 
 His wife Ancaret, wore the horned head-dress with 
 flowing veil, tight fitting kirtle and mantle. At her feet 
 were two small dogs with collars of bells. 
 
 The lower sinister quatrefoil, the only one remaining 
 in 1793, bore a shield charged with — Or, a raven sa. 
 corbet, impaling Paly arg. and sa. four bars gu. 
 
 BARRE.
 
 
 J \ 
 
 THOMAS CORBET, ESQ., AND WIFE ANCARET. 
 
 1436. 
 
 SHREWSBURY, ST. ALKMUND. 
 
 From a drawing in Brit. Mus., Add. MS. 21,230, fol. 71 .
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 81 
 
 Thomas Corbet, Esq., of Morton, married Ancaret, a 
 daughter of Sir Thomas Barre, Knt., by his wife Alice, 
 sister of John, Lord Talbot. Thomas Corbet died in 1436 
 without issue. His widow is said to have afterwards 
 married Jenkin Hanmer, Esq., of Hanmer. 
 
 V. 
 
 John Hervy, 1470, John Humfreston, 1497, and their 
 
 wife Margery. 
 
 Brass engraved c. 1500. 
 
 Owen and Blakeway give no illustration but supply the 
 following account in vol. ii, p. 288 : — 
 
 "A marble 6 feet 11 inches by 2 feet 11^ inches, towards the ascent 
 to the altar, with the brass of a woman between two men in long 1 
 gowns edged with fur: under the man on the left hand three daughters 
 and a son : under the other man, six sons and as many daughters. 
 At the two left hand corners, i.e., over and under Humfreston, a 
 shield of his arms : an eagle displayed, debruised by a chevron 
 charged with three roses : at the upper right hand corner a trades- 
 man's mark." 
 
 The Eev. Edward Williams under date May 24, 1793, 
 gives a sketch of this brass in Add. MS. 21,236, fol. 73, and 
 notes it was then " On the north side of the chancel 
 bet w y e seats & the steps leading to y e communion table." 
 The figures of the children were then lost. 
 
 From Owen and Blake way's account and from Mr. 
 Williams' drawing a full account of the brass is obtainable. 
 
 In the centre was the figure of the wife turned sideways 
 so as to be looking towards her second husband John 
 Humfreston whose figure was on her right hand, on her 
 left was the figure of John Hervy. Both the husbands 
 were represented full face and wore similar dresses, viz., 
 long fur-lined gowns with wide sleeves also lined with 
 fur. Both had long hair and broad round toed shoes. 
 Attached to their girdles were gypcieres or pouches. 
 
 Their wife Margery wore the kennel shaped head-dress 
 and the close fitting gown with fur edging and cuffs 
 usually associated with this head-dress. Eound the hips 
 was a broad ornamented belt with a long pendent end 
 
 c 2
 
 82 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 terminating in ornamented metal work. Below the 
 figures was a black letter inscription in five lines : — 
 
 l^fc jaant 3Jof)cs f^nbg tt ^otjcs f^umfwston 23urgenscs bilk 
 
 salopie tt J^taracrta uxoreor 9 
 tt poict 9 g$o$?s p^by obttt &* M mtllfo <M0D<ra£S tt ptiict 9 
 
 gjofjes f&umfeton oliiit ultimo 
 trie mes 9 marcii &<■ bnt millto €€€€ nonagesimo bii ac ttiam 
 
 i^targtria uxor p&ictor 9 otnit 
 W mensis &nno trnt millio quingentesimo quor 9 
 
 Animal)? ppiciet 9 tit 9 ante 
 
 Below the inscription were the groups of children. 
 Under Humfreston three daughters and one son in two 
 groups ; under Hervy six sons and six daughters also in 
 two groups. 
 
 At the four corners were shields, the upper and lower 
 dexter charged with the arms of humereston : — Arg., 
 an eagle displayed sa., over all a chevron gu. charged with 
 three roses of the first — ; the upper sinister bore the 
 merchant mark of John Hervy, the lower sinister was 
 lost in 1793 but probably contained a similar mark. 
 
 Owen and, Blakeway state that "John Humfreston was 
 a vintner in Shrewsbury, and a son of William Humfreston, 
 of Humfreston. He was admitted a burgess of Shrewsbury 
 in 15 Edw. IV." 
 
 Margery survived her second husband and caused the 
 brass to be made about the year 1500, leaving a blank for 
 the date of her own death. This blank, as usual, had 
 never been filled in. 
 
 Thomas Pontisbury, 1514, and wife Elizabeth. 
 Mentioned in Owen and Blakeway, vol. ii, p. 288 : — 
 
 " The earliest memorial with a date was the following, noticed by Dug- 
 dale. On another plate of brass let into marble " : 
 
 " |^ic faccM ^rjomas ^onttsburg jfitontiam nttrcator stapulc 
 ©alisie qui otnit 26 bit Jiftattis ano trm 1514 tt 3Eli?abetfja uxor 
 efus qvt obiit rtono trie S&tptemrms aa 1 513."
 
 A 01 
 
 
 
 JOHN HERVY, JOHN HUMFRESTON, AND THEIR WIFE MARGERY. 
 
 C. 1500. 
 SHREWSBURY, ST. ALKMUND. 
 
 From a drawing in Brit. Mus., Add. MS. 2l,236,fol. 73.

 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 83 
 
 " The person here recorded was bailiff of the Town three times 
 between 14G9 and 1489. He was not the first of the name interred 
 in this church : for our MS. Chronicle, under 1400, says, ' this yeare 
 Wm. Ponsbury died, and lyethe in St. Alkmoond's,' and another 
 William Pontysbury, the same, no doubt, who was bailiff in 1493, in 
 his will, the probate of which bears date 15 March, 1510, and in 
 which he mentions Elizabeth his wife, and Helyne and Dorothy his 
 daughters, the former of them then married to Thomas Buryton, 
 orders himself to be buried in this church." 
 
 There is no mention of this brass in the Kev. Edward 
 Williams' collections. 
 
 VI. 
 
 George Pontesbury, 1550, and wife Jane, 1553. 
 
 With additions in 1636. 
 
 In Add. MS. 21,236, fol. 83, is an unfinished drawing of 
 the armed figure of George Pontesbury. At fol. 88, is an 
 impression taken with printer's ink, " from a brass plate 
 lying in the closet on the north side of St. Alkmund's 
 church, Shrewsbury, originally fixed in a marble monument 
 in the chancel of that church, Oct. 4, 1793." 
 
 This was the inscription below the figures. 
 
 In Owen and Blakeway, vol. ii, p. 289, is an engraving 
 of the brass, here reproduced, and the following 
 account : — 
 
 " A marble inlaid with brass. The inscriptions are given thus by 
 Dugdale, somewhat more fully than in the engraving." 
 
 " i^tc facet ^reorgtus ^onttsburi ct 3Jana uxor ejus ct corum truo 
 filtt bvf &bomas $ont: et (Seorcu'us pontes: necnou Uovotrjca 
 ©foen una cum &ara una filiar'Ufticbaroi Oatley trt ^ttcfjfork 
 armtgert quae nut uxor 15&toar&t <©toen ar. ftltt Ut'ctar Dorothea; qui 
 et ipse fjtc situs est in ttomino Ittonumcntum autem fjoc sccuntmm 
 boluntatcm patrts fieri fecit filitts efus 3iontcsbttrp natu maximus 
 
 " On a plate at the feet of their portraitures " : 
 
 f^ere Irjetrj George pontesbury ye sone of ^rjomas pontesbury 
 late of gfobrigbtlyc focb tryeef trje tcntb tray of October &a ^i 
 1550 antt in yc ffotortb ycrc of tbe rayenuf of l&rmqc (JBUtoarcf 
 tfje stxt antr also Jabne'bts tniffe one' of tbe bougbtcrs of &ir 
 ikicfjarci ILacon unigbt fobtcb Bietr trje last tray of June in tlje 
 sebenti) ycrc of ye rayqne of g« abobe namctr toortbie p'nee fetnqc 
 lEfcffoarci yc sixf 1 on fobom ye lorfcr for -Jesus ©bust' safce~ babe 
 marcy."
 
 84 
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 " And below " 
 
 "Stomas pmtsburg 
 otmt aa tint M®®®®®*?." 
 
 " CKeorcuus ^ontesbutj} 
 obtit 1589 aprtl Fll" 
 
 " The fourth shield, now a blank, bore in Dugdale's time, the arms 
 of Ottley." 
 
 " The inscription as engraved, and also as it exists in Dugdale's 
 transcript, presents an insurmountable difficulty, making the stone 
 to have been laid down in 1536 to the memory of persons, all of 
 whom, except one, died many years after that date. But Mr. W. 
 Mytton's drawing supplies the deficient century by adding a sixth C : 
 and the inscription was assuredly cut in 1636. There is exactly the 
 same mistake of a century in the date of the second Thomas 
 Pontesbury, who certainly died in 1605, as is proved by the parish 
 register and here also Mr. Mytton supplies a sixth C." 
 
 A short pedigree will better show the relationship of 
 the persons mentioned in the inscription : 
 
 Thomas Pontesbury, of Aclbrightlee, =p Elizabeth, dau. of 
 
 Merchant of the Staple of Calais, dec. 
 26 March, 1514. 
 
 Richard Grafton, 
 dec. 9 Sept., 1513. 
 
 George Pontesbury, of Adbrightlee, 
 dec. 10 Oct., 1550. 
 
 I 
 
 Thomas 
 
 dec. 17 March, 
 1605. 
 
 George 
 dec. 7 April, 
 1589. 
 
 Jane, dau. of Sir Richard 
 Lacon, knt., dec. 30 
 June, 1553. 
 
 Dorothy =j= Edward Owen, of 
 bur. 27 Oct., I Salop. 
 1593. 
 
 Edward Owen, of Adbrightlee, =p Sarah, dau. of Rich- 
 living in 1623. ard Oteley, of 
 
 Pitchf'ord. 
 
 Thomas Owen, 
 
 r 
 Pontesbury Owen, 
 
 Margaret, 
 
 set. 6 in 1023. 
 
 Alius et hseres, 
 set. 10 in 1623, 
 bur . 24 April, 
 1652. 
 
 set. 12 in 1623 
 
 The brass consisted of two effigies, an inscription below, 
 six shields of arms, four scrolls and a marginal inscription. 
 Two scrolls and one shield were lost at the time the 
 drawing was made. 
 
 The figure of George Pontesbury was in armour with a 
 mantle over it. His wife wore the " Paris head " with 
 depressed centre, an overgown and apparently a ruff. 
 
 Of the shields the upper dexter and two centre bore the 
 arms of pontesbury — Sa., on a fess between three 
 martlets or as many jieur-de-lys az. The upper sinister 
 lacon — Quarterly of six I and VI. Quarterly per fess 
 indented erm. and az. lacon. II. . . . a cross engrailed
 
 SHKEWS3UKY, ST. AEKMUND. 
 "THE POXTESEURY ERASS." 
 
 From Ouk',1 and Blakeivay s History of Shrewsbury.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 85 
 
 . III. Or, a bend cotised sa. harley. IV. Az., 
 three round buckles or, remevill. V. two 
 
 chevrons within a bordure engrailed. . . . The lower 
 dexter, owen — Or, a lion rampant gu. The lower sinister 
 according to Dugdale, otley — Arg., on a bend az., three 
 oat garbs or. 
 
 The marginal inscription states that Pontesbury Owen 
 caused the monument to be placed in 1636, but the 
 costume of the figures agrees more with the date of the 
 deaths of George and Jane Pontesbury. Most probably 
 Pontesbury Owen added the marginal inscription and the 
 various shields to the two figures and inscription already 
 on the stone. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Richard Prowde, 1608, and wife Alice. 
 Mentioned by Owen and Blaheway, vol. ii, p. 290 : 
 
 " In the south aisle. On a plate of brass, having the figures of a 
 man and woman, the man in a gown, and under them this inscrip- 
 tion " : 
 
 " HERE LYETH THE BODY OP RICHARD PROWDE DRAPER, HUSBAND 
 OP ALICE PROWDE, DECEASSED THE 25 DAY OF AUGUST 1608, AND 
 HAD YSSUE 2 SONS RICHARD & JAMES & SIX DAUGHTERS, ANNE, 
 MARY DECEASED, ELIANOR, MARY, SARAH, MARGARET." 
 
 SHREWSBURY, ST. MARY. 
 
 John Gardiner, 1628. 
 
 Inscription with shield of arms Size of plate 22 by 7 
 
 inches. 
 
 In memoriam spectatissemi viri domini 
 
 johannis gardineri 
 
 GRATIA sancta DEI tibi fvlsit chare JOHANNES 
 
 EX RE NOMEN HABES HOC TV A VITA PROBAT 
 
 HORTI CVLTOR eras tibi cvra soloq poloq 
 
 PLANTAS EGREGIAS ADDERE SVMA FV1T 
 RESVRGENTIS L.ETITIA 
 HINC SVRGO PROPERAT MEDIATOR IN AERE CHRISTVS 
 OBVIVS HVIC RAPIOR SEMPER EROQ COMES 1628.
 
 86 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 In the lower sinister corner is a shield charged with the 
 arms of Gardiner— per fess arg. and sa. a pale counter- 
 changed and three griffins heads erased of the second. 
 
 Mural. North Transept. 
 
 TONG. 
 
 I. 
 
 Sir William Vernon, 1467, and widow Margaret. 
 
 Full length effigies of Sir William Vernon in armour, 
 and Dame Margaret in widow's attire, seven sons, five 
 daughters (two lost), eight shields of arms and marginal 
 inscription. 
 
 For good workmanship, general effect, and wealth of 
 heraldry this is the finest example in the county. 
 
 Sir William is represented in armour, bare-headed, his 
 head resting on a tilting helmet having the Vernon crest — 
 a boars head — and rich mantling. His armour consists 
 of a collar of mail with vandycked edge, breast-plate with 
 demi-placcates, pauldrons or shoulder pieces differing in 
 shape, that on the left arm being further strengthened by 
 a serrated ridge, the coutes or elbow pieces are of an extra- 
 vagant size, the gauntlets are shell backed with long 
 peaked cuffs, the fingers defended by small overlapping 
 plates, the skirt of taces is long and terminates in a mail 
 fringe over which are buckled two large and heavy tuiles, 
 the genouillieres have plates behind, and the sollerets are 
 long and pointed with unguarded rowel spurs. The sword 
 is suspended diagonally in front of the body, from a plain 
 narrow belt whilst the misericorde is attached to the 
 taces on the left side. Above the figure is a scroll 
 inscribed ; — 
 
 ^enebtctus tints m fronts suts. 
 Dame Margaret is represented in widow's attire. She 
 wears the veil head-dress, a barbe covering the shoulders 
 like a cape, a gown with tight sleeves and a sideless cote- 
 hardie ; over all is a mantle lined with ermine and fastened 
 by a cord and tassels. At her feet is a curious repre-
 
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 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 87 
 
 sentation of an elephant, and from her mouth proceeds a 
 scroll bearing : — 
 
 Ifru fiU traufo miserere nob 9 
 
 Below the effigies are the small figures separately inlaid — 
 except in the case of the two youngest sons and the two 
 eldest and two youngest daughters — of seven sons and five 
 daughters. The sons are all in civil costume ; from the 
 mouth of the eldest proceeds a scroll inscribed : — 
 
 Sbp'aut m tmo et erepiat me. 
 
 From the mouth of the second son : — 
 
 ffilt tfet memento met. 
 
 From the mouth of the fourth the scroll is lost. 
 From the mouth of the fifth : — 
 
 Bite leuaui atam mea atr te. 
 
 The third, sixth, and seventh sons have no scrolls. 
 
 The daughters — originally five in number but the figures 
 of the two youngest are now lost — wear a modified type 
 of the butterfly head-dress and close fitting gowns cut 
 low at the neck ; the figure of the third daughter is some- 
 what larger than the others, her gown is trimmed with fur, 
 and from her mouth proceeds a scroll inscribed : — 
 
 5fju fili 9 marie pietat 9 miserere nobis 
 
 There are eight shields of arms inlaid in the slab, three 
 at the top, three at the bottom, and two in the centre 
 between the figures. 
 
 *&■ 
 
 Top row : — 
 
 (Dexter). Az., three bars or. Pembruge. 
 (Centre). Az., crusily two pipes or. Pype. 
 (Sinister). Sa., a fess chequy az. and or, between six 
 escallops arg. Durvassall. 
 
 Centre : — 
 
 (Upper). Arg.,fretty sa. Vernon. 
 (Lower). Arg., a lion rampant gu, collared and crowned 
 or. Stacpole.
 
 88 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 Bottom row : 
 
 (Dexter). Az., three lions passant in pale arg. Cam- 
 
 VILLE. 
 
 (Centre). Vernon impaling Pype. 
 
 (Sinister). Arg., a bend engrailed gu. (?). Treamton (?) 
 
 This last coat occurs amongst the Vernon quarterings on 
 the tomb of Sir George Vernon, " the king of the Peak," 
 1567, in Bakewell church, Derbyshire. (See Notes on the 
 Churches of Derbyshire, by J. Charles Cox, vol. ii, p. 22). 
 
 A marginal inscription inlaid in the chamfered edge of 
 the tomb surrounds the whole : — 
 
 * ffiit latent tins OTtllms Fernon Jttilcs ©uon&m Jfttles 
 constabularius &noJie films ct Jjcrcs tini IRtcartii Fernon Jttilitis 
 qui qttonbm erat ^fjesattrarius ©alesie qui quittem tms OTfllms 
 obiit ultimo trie jftrtensis gjum't glnno Domini JWilltmo ©€©©0 
 HWM ©t Jtagareta uxor trfct a® tilt filia lEt fjerctiitar 9 tmi 
 Sftoberti ^rjpis <2£t ^petnores Jttilttis que qtutrcnt JWargareta obiit 
 
 trie JWensis &nno Bomtnt JTOItmo €<&<&<&* US 
 quorum ^nimabus ^ropicictur Deus gt Jtt<!&i£. 
 
 The figures measure 3 feet in height and the size of the 
 whole composition is 7 feet by 3 feet. It rests on a high 
 tomb in the nave. 
 
 Engravings of this brass may be found in Wallers Series, 
 pt. xi, and in Griffiths History of Tong, p. 42. 
 
 Mr. Waller gives the following account of the persons 
 commemorated by this brass : — 
 
 "Sir William Vernon, of Tong, Shropshire, also of 
 Haddon, Derbyshire, and Harlaston in the county of 
 Stafford, was son of Sir Kichard Vernon, speaker of the 
 parliament held at Leicester in 1426, and Treasurer of 
 Calais 1445-51, by Benedicta, daughter of Sir John 
 Ludlow, widow of Sir Fulk de Pembruge. Sir William 
 held the appointment of knight constable of England, at 
 what date does not appear, but probably as successor to 
 Sir Sampson Meverill, who held it from, and in the life- 
 time of, John duke of Bedford. The knight constable was 
 deputy of the lord high constable of England and kept 
 the constable court. A statute passed 13 Eic. IT, 1389, 
 c. ii., declares the jurisdiction of the constable of England, 
 and the power of the court in the pleas which might be
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 89 
 
 held in it. ' To the constable,' says the Act, ' it pertaineth 
 to have cognizance of contracts touching deeds of arms 
 and of war out of the realm, and also of things that touch 
 war within the realm which cannot be determined nor 
 discussed by the common law.' Sir William Vernon 
 inherited from his father large possessions chiefly in the 
 counties of Derby, Leicester, Salop, and Stafford, and 
 became interested by marriage in other estates to which 
 his wife was heiress. By his will, made on Sunday before 
 the feast of SS. Peter and Paul, 1467, two days before his 
 decease, Sir William Vernon, ' myghty of mynde,' desired 
 to be buried in the church of St. Bartholomew at Tong, 
 where a tomb was to be made after his own ' devyse,' and 
 a priest to sing thereat for three years. He leaves to 
 his wife Margaret the lordship of Marpul or Tong for life, 
 in lieu of her jointure, which she had given up to their 
 son Henry and his wife ; to his four daughters Elizabeth, 
 Margaret, Benett, and Alice, a marriage portion of 500 
 marks each, provided they dispose themselves according 
 to the wishes of their mother ; to his son William an 
 annuity of twenty marks ; to Richard the manor oi 
 Hasilbach for life ; to Ralph the manor of Eeworth in fee 
 and all the testator's purchased lands for life ; and he 
 appointed Margaret his wife executrix with William 
 Cumberforth and John Penyston, priest. The testator 
 died on the 30th of June, 1467, and the will, still pre- 
 served at Somerset House, was proved at Lambeth 27th of 
 June 1468, chaplain Penyston renouncing the exe- 
 cutorship." 
 
 " Margaret, wife of Sir William Vernon, only daughter 
 and heiress, as it appears, of Sir William Swynfen, of 
 Pipe Ridware, Staffordshire, by Jocosa or Joyce, younger 
 daughter and co-heir of Sir William Durvassal alias Sper- 
 nore, senior, is described upon the brass as ' daughter 
 and heir of Sir Pobert Pype and Spernore,' an error which 
 at one time caused much perplexity to genealogists, who 
 found the addition at variance with authentic records. 
 In a deed dated 13 Hen. IV, 1435-6, quoted by Shaw in 
 his History of Staffordshire from a manuscript in the 
 Harleian collection, John de la Hay, rector, grants to 
 Richard Whitehill for life a moiety of certain lands in 
 Rushale and Wallesal, co. Stafford, remainder to Margaret
 
 90 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 wife of William de Vernon, daughter and heir of Jocosa, 
 late wife of William Swynfen, Esq., and to her heirs 
 for ever. William Swynfen, who inherited the Pype estate 
 from his mother Agnes, sister of Sir Eobert Pype, styled 
 himself in 1415 William de Pype, and Lady Vernon as 
 heir to her father was sometimes called Margaret de Pype, 
 being, in fact, not daughter, but grandniece to Sir Eobert. 
 The Spernore lands she inherited from her mother Jocosa, 
 so that the style ' Sir Eobert Pype and Spernore ' is 
 altogether a misnomer. The original clause of the 
 inscription, before its obscuration by the scribe or 
 engraver, was perhaps not very different from the 
 following : — Et Margareta uxor dici Wini filia dni Willi 
 Pypis et hereditar' dni Eoberti Pypis et dni Willi 
 Spernores Militis, &c." (Waller, Mon. Brasses.) 
 
 "In Dr. Ducarel's Anglo-Norman Antiquities con- 
 sidered in a tour through Normandy, London, fol. 1767, 
 this brass and tomb are described as being in the church 
 of Vernon, in Normandy. Whether a duplicate memorial 
 to Sir William and Lady Vernon ever was erected there 
 cannot now perhaps be ascertained, and is in fact very 
 unlikely, but the engraving which illustrates the author's 
 text is an undoubted, though somewhat inaccurate, 
 reduction of the monument at Tong." (Ibid.) 
 
 II. 
 
 Ealph Elcok, 1510. 
 
 Full length effigy, 25 inches in height, wearing cassock, 
 surplice, and almuce. 
 Black letter inscription : 
 
 f^ic iacct Hatmlpfr 9 Gllcofe ccPrewfrat 9 tstP colcgti 
 qui natus fuit in billa stopfortrfe infra comttatu 
 Cestue qui obiit in festo^ce featerine birginis 
 tt matter gtnno tint millmo <$<&<&<&(&a fcesimo. 
 
 A peculiar figure evidently the work of a provincial 
 artist, possibly made at Coventry. The word following 
 the surname may be intended for a contraction of 
 " cellerarius " but it is not at all clear. 
 
 The figure is a good deal worn especially in the upper 
 part. It is now mural in the South Aisle, and is engraved 
 in Griffiths' History of Tong, p. 96.

 
 ■■Si (5- ) 
 
 Jfiriarrt KaMty fiVfaji refit ©trafiftf^olrQii 
 Um unfits tint utuufe ftojrfmiiir utfra rotrotew 
 grffrif am il&tft mfrffo fir Mmnp .Strains 
 Ehiiatfrr-amio oui rmM ^Ci^-Miato 
 
 RALPH ELCOK. 
 
 I5IO 
 
 TONG, SALOP.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 91 
 
 III. 
 
 Sir Arthur Vernon, m.a., 1517. 
 
 Full length effigy in the dress of a master of arts of the 
 University of Cambridge, viz., cassock, surplice, tippet 
 and hood. Above the head of the figure is a chalice 
 (7 inches in height) with conical bowl, open work knop 
 and spreading base with small knops at the points of the 
 feet. Above this is the wafer with a rayed edge and 
 inscribed in the centre with " {[)£." 
 
 FBOM THE BBASS TO SIR ABTHUE 
 VEBNON, 1517. 
 TONG, SALOP. 
 
 ^-linear.
 
 92 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 Below the effigy is a black letter inscription in three 
 lines : — 
 
 Orate spcct'alettr pro a7a tmt gXrtfjttrt Ucrnon 
 In gtrttbus maim' bm'b 9 sttatts cantibrtgtc qui obitt 
 xbo trie Eugustt ®a unt jtfia <£<£(OTGDa xbtjo cut 9 ale ppictet 9 to 9 
 
 At the corners of the stone are shields of arms : — 
 
 I. (Upper dexter) — Arg., fretly sa. vernon. 
 
 II. (Upper sinister) — Quarterly of six, I. vernon. 
 
 II. Az., three lions passant in pale arg. camville. 
 
 III. Arg., a lion rampant gu., collared and crowned or. 
 stackpole. IV. Barry of six or and az. pembruge. 
 V. vernon ivith a canton gu. VI. Az., crusily two pipes 
 or. PYPE. 
 
 III. (Lower dexter) as No. II. 
 
 IV. (Lower sinister) as No. I. 
 
 The effigy measures 42 inches in height and the size of 
 the whole composition is 8 feet inches by 4 feet. It is 
 on the floor of the Vernon Chantry where it was found 
 during the restoration in 1892. Cole, the Cambridge 
 antiquary, noted the figure on the occasion of his visit in 
 1757, but there is no notice of it in the Eev. Edward 
 Williams' Collections (Add. MSS. 21, 236-37), taken 
 between 1792-1803, so that it was probably floored over 
 sometime between 1757-1803. 
 
 The brass is engraved in Griffiths' History ofTong, p. 55. 
 
 Arthur Vernon was the fifth son of Sir Henry Vernon 
 by his wife Anne, daughter of John Talbot, second Earl 
 of Shrewsbury. He was a master of arts of the University 
 of Cambridge, rector of Whitchurch and warden of the 
 college of Tong. He died 15 August, 1517, and must 
 have been one of the first persons buried in the chapel 
 erected by his father and only completed in 1515. By 
 will dated the last day of September, 8 Hen. VIII, he 
 desires his body to be buried " in the same parish church 
 where I die " and to have a stone " what myn executours 
 thinke best for me and my picture drawen therupon and 
 for the making of my stone I bequeth xxxs." (P. C. C, 
 Holder, fol. 35v.) 
 
 In the west wall of the same chantry is a curious stone 
 half effigy under a canopy with shields of arms to the 
 same Arthur Vernon.
 
 a 
 
 £ltfr QEnafittTprii im Out r Mutfi umimr 
 r ja -Artiius awjp ituiiilrtatii) flp&ijtf puliiif 
 r tf Oir aufljiTti ;viiaau"('ft-0'tii(aii'iiif.flnn(f of'' 
 
 
 i?" 
 
 SIR ARTHUR VERNON, M.A. 
 
 1517 
 
 TONG, SALOP
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 93 
 
 IV. 
 
 Dame Elizabeth Daunsey, 1549. 
 
 Inscription with shield of arms. Size of plate 17^- by 10^- 
 
 inches. 
 
 I^erc fantrcv Irjctb interrett tf)c botfte of Dame <2Blt?abetfj 
 Dabnseij btscciitrctr of tfjc bouse * family of g* ^ecUes 
 Rrst mafieb to g>tt gjobn %Ucffington fem'g&te 
 somtpme £bbenffe of Honbo z after marrtcb 
 to ^rgjoim Babnsaij Knigbte. <&biit &a tmi. 1549. 
 
 Sbougbc birtues rave fcifo in tbis foigbte abounbe 
 &nb toeltbc at mill tbis toortfjfc latrlc trt'tr poeesse 
 §9et notbingc in rjc enbe fjer praise tittT more rcsounbe 
 tben fattfjc fa 3Jesus (JTbrist foitfj sober goblines 
 • gin eie to blrmb a Irjme to lame sf)e foas 
 ^o poore a frcntr <©f kynne in ecrjc tfegre 
 Botr) bonoureb z beloucb too loe tfjis trotfjc btrtu pas 
 Eo place appointed brj tfje lorbe Inhere blessed rjt srjal be. 
 
 Below this plate is a smaller one measuring 9|- by 3^ 
 inches with the initials J. R, G. S., J. T., in a lozenge 
 between the words 
 
 " |9osuerunt ^tetatis Jilonumentum." 
 
 Above the inscription is a shield bearing the Skeffimjfton 
 quartering^ impaling Pecke or Peche — Or, three eagles 
 displayed az., the upper dexter one charged on the breast with 
 a crescent for difference. 
 
 For the Skeffington quarterings see jSTo. V. 
 
 Mural. Chancel. Engraved in Griffiths' History of 
 Jong, p. 86. 
 
 Y. 
 
 William Skeffington, Esq., 1550. 
 
 Inscription with arms, crest, helmet and mantling. Size 
 of plate 17f by 9 J- inches. 
 
 f^ere bnber Irjctb interred tbe bobrje of STOItam 5bfcef= 
 fington late of tbe SSibite Uabics'lSsquire sonnc anb 
 beire of §bit ^\)xi ^feeffington sometnmc of 
 ILonHo knigbte. <©biit &no tint. 1550
 
 94 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 &n esquier fee foas rigfete fear&rje to tfee fealtre 
 &n& faitfefull to feis fBrrmce in quiet tgme of peace 
 23ut fofeen feis course on eartfjc fee feati fullfitoe 
 ®fee Hortrc of foorlolrj fooes trt'tr fetm release 
 glntf to feis ftingtfome tfecn feis soule titU call 
 |^is bottye to tmst returned from fofeence gt came 
 Mlfeicfe rape agarjne fee mill to 3°fi cclestiall 
 tKftfeerc feotfrje antr soule sfeall eber prarjse feis name. 
 
 Below is a smaller plate similar in all respects to the one 
 on No. IV. 
 
 Above is a square plate rounded at the top, bearing the 
 arms, crest, &c, of Skeffington. 
 
 Quarterly of six, I. Arg., three bulls heads erased sa. 
 skeffington. II. . a bend between two cotises 
 
 and six mullets . . . III. . . . three birds . 
 
 IV. . . . afess dancettee between three crescents . 
 
 V. Erm., a bend . . . VI. Erm., on a chief indented 
 
 three escallop shells In the fess point a 
 
 crescent . . . for difference. 
 
 Crest : — A mermaid with comb and mirror, all proper. 
 
 Mural. Chancel. Engraved in Griffiths' History of 
 Tong, p. 84. 
 
 UPTON CRESSETT. 
 
 Richard Cressett, Esq., and wife Jane, 1640. 
 
 A quadrangular plate measuring 23 by 20 J inches. 
 In the centre are the effigies of Richard Cressett and his 
 wife Jane kneeling at a prayer desk on which lie open 
 books. Richard Cressett wears a doublet with square 
 turned-back collar, trunk hose, high boots and long cloak. 
 Two sons in similar costume kneel behind him. His wife 
 wears a close-fitting hood with lace edging, a gown with 
 large turned-back collar also edged with lace, the sleeves 
 puffed at the shoulders, slashed on the fore arms and 
 terminating in short lace-edged cuffs. Three daughters 
 in similar attire kneel behind their mother. All kneel on 
 cushions on a chess-board pattern floor and are enclosed 
 by a flat-topped arch, from the centre of which hangs a
 
 DIE VIIBRIS VI 
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 95 
 
 shield bearing the arms of Cressett — az., a cross engrailed 
 within a bordure also engrailed or — impaling Huxley of 
 Edmonton — erm., on a bend cotised gu. three crescents or. 
 Below is an inscription in Eoman capitals : 
 
 P. M. S. 
 
 Reqviescit svb hoc cespite Depositvm Janas cressett 
 Richardo cressett Armigero Maritat^: Georgio Huxley 
 et CatharinEe vxori de Wyrehall in paretic EDMVNTON 
 agri MIDDLESEXESII (sed ille Cestria orivndo) prog- 
 
 NATjE. QVM POST DUODECENNIVM CONIVGIALE OCTONAQ 
 
 PVERPERIA SVPERSTITIBVS QUINQ LIBERIS ROBERTO ET RlCH- 
 
 aruo Mascvlis, Catharina ElizaBetha et Alisia fjemellis. 
 Rebvs iivmanis excedens plactde obdormivit. 
 
 Ne quod mnemosynvm desit marmorq3 
 
 dolorq^ Coniugis geterno nectare Nomen 
 
 ano dni mdcxl <( asunt Pignoraq3 ingeniis et matrissantia 
 
 ^itatis xxix j formisTot stant Historias tot Monumenta 
 
 L tibi. 
 
 E. GRIGS Scvlpsit. 
 
 This seems to be the only plate in the county upon 
 which a maker's name appears. Instances of the maker's 
 or engraver's names are scarce. Two inscriptions dated 
 1654 and 1656 at Darley, Derbyshire, were made by 
 " Robert Thorpe in Sheffield the carver " ; an inscription 
 dated 1629 at Nunkeeling, East Yorkshire, ends "Gab. 
 Hornbie Sculp." ; at Rudston and Lowthorpe, both in the 
 same Riding, are inscriptions bearing " Tho. Mann Eboraci 
 sculp."' They are dated 1665 and 1677. Another inscrip- 
 tion at Ormskirk, Lancashire, 1661, reads " Richard Mosok 
 Sculpsitt." 
 
 The Cressett brass is on the wall of a chapel on the 
 south side of the chancel. This chapel is said to have 
 been a mortuary chapel belonging to the Cressett family, 
 but is now used as a vestry. 
 
 Richard Cressett, Esq., married Jane, a daughter of 
 George and Catherine Huxley, of Edmonton, Middlesex. 
 
 d
 
 96 MONUMENTAL BK ASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 She died on the 6th of September, 1640, aged 29, leaving 
 issue two sons, Robert and Richard, and three daughters, 
 Catherine, Elizabeth and Alice. 
 
 WENLOCK, MUCH. 
 
 Richard Ridley, 1592, and wife Eleanor. 
 
 Small effigies kneeling on cushions at a table whereupon 
 lie open books. Richard Ridley wears the usual civilian 
 dress of the period. His wife has the " Paris hede," ruff 
 and overgown. 
 
 Below is a black letter inscription in ten lines. 
 
 J^eer bnto tin's place Inetlj bxixitH tfje bob}} of iHtdjartr Hfolep, sonnc 
 &nb Ijenre of iftarmoto Hublen of kgnleg i&mV z of glltce Heiojfrton 
 
 f)is 
 S2&nfe, fijrste marne& to stomas Jttofonsloe of ^augftky ©15K®, 
 
 brj tofjome sbe baft 
 Issue one sonnc z b tiaugbters. ®be satjtr ifticbarb Itbftr m gooU 
 
 name z 
 Report z foas tfotise 23aglp of tfn's tofone of SiKenlork z n* ffran= 
 
 treses 
 thereof. |^e marneto lEIeanor Daughter of 3obn £bp&enbam of 
 
 Cbilfoortbg m 
 ©o. Somerset z fjatf no Issue, p^e fceparteti out of tbts transttorn 
 
 Infe tbe tit 
 of 3Januarj3 1592 z tfje sagtr lEIeanor fjts fonfe surbibing fttm causefc 
 
 tljts 
 Monument to be sett up for a perpetuall token of ber singular z 
 
 obetrient 
 
 loue tofoarfcr jjt 
 
 Above the figures are three shields of arms : 
 
 Dexter — Arg. on a mound vert a bull statant gu., armed 
 or. Ridley of Lynley. 
 
 Centre — Ridley impaling Sydenham as in the sinister 
 shield. 
 
 Sinister — Quarterly of six — I and VI. Arg., three rams 
 passant 2 and 1, sa. Sydenham, of Combe, co. Somerset. 
 II. arg., a bend fusilly sa. Kjtsford. III. arg., a cross 
 engrailed gu., in the dexter-chief a mullet. IV. Barry of
 
 MONUMENTAL BKASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 97 
 
 six erm. and gu. V. set., a bend or between six fountains 
 ppr. Stourton. 
 
 The effigies are 9J inches in height and the size of the 
 whole composition is 19 by 20 inches. It is on the north 
 wall of the chancel. 
 
 Eichard Ridley, son and heir of Eaynold Ridley, of 
 Lynley, by his wife Alice Leighton, widow of Thomas 
 Mownsloe of Caughley, by whom she had one son and 
 five daughters, was twice Bayley of Wenlock and married 
 Eleanor, daughter of John Sydenham, of Chilworthy, 
 Somersetshire, by whom he had no issue. He died 
 3rd January, 1592, and his widow erected the monument 
 to his memory. 
 
 II. 
 
 Robert Thorne, 1645. 
 
 Inscription and three shields of arms on a small quad- 
 rangular plate on the north wall of the chancel. 
 
 nere vnto this scvlptvre lyeth interred ye body 
 
 of robert thorne gent. late of sponhill who 
 
 severall tymes with prvdence fidelity and jvstice 
 
 discharged the office of bayliffe in this ancient 
 
 corporation of wenlock he lived a loyal svbject 
 
 to his kinge a loving servant to his covntry and 
 
 in all endeavovrs manifested himself a trve ho- 
 
 novrer of the noble family of the lawleys thvs 
 
 he lived then died the 18 day of march ao 1645 
 
 aged 70 yeares for whose piovs memorie his movrn- 
 
 full kinsman edward thorne hath for svrviving 
 
 ages left this testimony of his love and griefe 
 
 Arms on the dexter and sinister .... three 
 lozenges in f esse .... thorne. 
 
 In the centre — thorne impaling .... a chevron 
 between three leopard's faces ....
 
 98 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 WHITCHURCH. 
 
 Matthew Fowler, M.B., 1677. 
 
 Inscription with shield of arms, crest, helmet and 
 mantling. The whole enclosed in an ornamented border. 
 In the upper part are a candlestick, hour-glass and skull 
 and crossbones. 
 
 Size of plate 24 by 24|- inches. 
 
 M. S. 
 
 Matth^ii Fowler Gen 81 : et in med: 
 
 bacc : qvi lvteti^ parisiorvm variolis extinct™, 
 peregrinationi sv^ mvndanie finem posvit et in 
 
 g^lesti patria sedem fixit perpetvam vltimo 
 
 Die Janvarii AD. 1677 8 Anno ^Etatis sv,e 24 to 
 
 Optima spei Juvenis, corpore formosvs : 
 
 dotibus animje insignior, pietatis erga : 
 
 Devm, et Parentes, Veracitatis, Prudenti^e, 
 
 castitatis, comitatis, morum deniq3 bonorvm 
 
 omnivm lavdabile exemplar, exteris et 
 
 Ignotis gratvs, Amicis carvs, Parentvm dvm 
 
 Vixit solativm non medioore et post 
 
 Mortem lvctvs extremvs ; 
 
 Qui Filia TJnica hac Quale eumqz Monumentum, ne 
 Inutilia TJixisse JJideatur . Maesti Posueruut. 
 
 Arms : — Az., on a chevron arg. between three lions 
 passant guardant or, as many crosses pattee sa., a mullet in 
 chief for difference. Fowler. 
 
 Crest : — An owl arg., ducally gorged or. 
 
 Mural. North Aisle.
 
 jjxrmrwart antra filing atiiMlfll riibBtt M$i 
 
 16" 
 
 -1 
 
 JOHN ONLEY AND WIFE JOAN. 
 
 1512. 
 WITHINGTON, SALOP.
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 99 
 
 II. 
 
 James Egerton 1735. 
 
 Inscription with skull and crossbones. Size of plate 
 13 bv 9 inches. 
 
 Here lyeth the Body of 
 
 James Egerton son of the Hon h,e 
 
 And Rigid Rever 4 Henry Lord 
 
 Bishop of Hereford and the 
 
 Right Hon bu Elizabeth his Wife 
 
 Who Departed this life 
 
 The & h of Aug'., 1735 
 
 In the 4 M year of his age. 
 
 Chancel. 
 
 WITH1NGTON. 
 John Onley, 1512, and wife Joan. 
 
 John Onley, son and heir of Sir Robert Onley, of the 
 town of Coventry, is represented bare-headed with long 
 hair, his armour consists of a plate gorget, a breast-plate 
 strengthened with demi-placcates, pauldrons of a curious 
 shape, small coutes, gauntlets with shell backs and peaked 
 cuffs, short skirt of taces with mail fringe, over which are 
 strapped the tuiles, large knee pieces with plates behind, 
 jambs and round-toed sabbatons with rowel spurs. 
 The sword is suspended diagonally in front of the body 
 from a narrow belt once inlaid with colour. There is no 
 misericorde. The left arm of the figure is broken awav. 
 
 His wife Joan is represented slightly turned to the 
 right, she wears the kennel-shaped head-dress with plain 
 lappets, a close-fitting overgown cut square at the neck, 
 showing the finely plaited partlet and undergown below, 
 the cuffs are large and edged with fur, whilst the long 
 skirt is gathered up under the left arm. 
 
 d 2
 
 ioo 
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 Below the figures is a three-line black letter inscrip- 
 tion : 
 
 f^tc facet 3Joj)£S onlcy films et ijcixs tint robcrtt onky 
 
 mtltt 9 citn'tat 9 cobente qui obtft XW"<* trie mens 9 gjtmu &o &nj_ 
 
 intUmo (&<&<&<&<&XM ct toima ux 9 ti 9 cmor 9 atab? pptctV 9 W ac 
 
 Below the inscription there were on the original slab a 
 group of seven sons in civil dress under the father (these 
 still remain) ; and under the mother the indent of a group 
 of three or four daughters (the latter were lost before 
 1795). 
 
 ARMS OF THE TOWN OF COVENTRY. 
 
 i linear. 
 
 At the four corners of the slab were originally shields 
 of arms (the upper dexter was lost before 1795) ; the 
 upper sinister (now placed under the brass of Adam 
 Graffton) bears — 
 
 Quarterly I. and IV. or, three piles gu., on a canton of the 
 second a pierced mullet of the first. onley. II and III. 
 . . . three stirrups 2 and 1. . . The lower dexter 
 bears the arms of the town of Coventry — Per pale 
 gu. and vert an elephant, on his bach a tower triple towered
 
 §mmb tM (tt^ntrasw antuDr ran of start? teOni oftucbfM 
 
 iilrJMIiilic'r.uiKiiiMFllIwI 
 
 iMHiraimMim 
 
 Iflj ewcajjtio a oti wWuttf ofu ib\i* ^,v Wot; tmm 
 
 ADAM GRAFFTON. 
 
 1530. 
 
 WITHINGTON, SALOP
 
 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IX SHR( >PSHIRE. 101 
 
 or. The lower sinister (now lost) bore — . . . a bend 
 between six birds. 
 
 In the British Museum (Add. MSS. 21, 23G, fol. 109) is 
 a sketch of this brass taken June 6, 1794, showing it in 
 its original slab then in the nave. Some years ago the 
 church was rebuilt, the brass taken from its slab ; this 
 disappeared and the brass itself was for some time in the 
 custody of a neighbouring rector. It is now nailed on 
 the north wall of the tower in a somewhat irregular 
 fashion. 
 
 The figures are 22 J inches in height. 
 
 This brass possesses considerable interest in that it is 
 the work of a "local" or Warwickshire school of 
 engravers, most probably settled in the town of Coventry. 
 Compare the figure at Harley. 
 
 II. 
 
 Adam G-raffton, Parson, 1530. 
 
 Full-length effigy in cassock, surplice, almuce and 
 cope. 
 
 Black-letter inscription in five lines : — 
 
 i^ere Inert) tmtgtfj J¥laster gfctfam (Kraffton tfje most toorsljtpfull 
 
 prcst 
 lybjmg in Ijjjs bays sumtgmc djaplcnnc to rtjc ffamotos prinens fegng 
 <JB&foar& rtje TJtf) % prpnee gtvtfjttre ardjeotcon of staff 9 SSEarotn of 
 
 t|)e battel! 
 ffcllfcf Btane of scynt Jttarg (College En Sfcalop a pson of t^ys 
 
 <&I)urcf)e 
 tofjycf) taassyb g* xxbti Day of %w\\ <&* tint lttF<££££ fcofjos soul 
 
 goto r(est) 
 
 A shield of arms belonging to the Cnley brass is now 
 inaccurately fixed below this inscription. 
 
 The figure measures 29|- inches in height and formerly 
 lay in the nave, it is now fastened to the south wall of the 
 tower. The original stone is lost. 
 
 Master Adam Graffton, LL.B., was not only " the most 
 worshipful prest lyving in his days " but also warden of 
 Battlefield College, to which post he was admitted 17 
 November, 1478 : chaplain to Edward V. and Prince
 
 102 MONUMENTAL BRASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 
 
 Arthur ; vicar of St. Alkmund's Shrewsbury, 1473-1489 ; 
 rector of Upton with Withington, 1494 ; canon of St. Chad's 
 1494 ; prebendary of Lichfield, 1497 ; archdeacon of 
 Salop, 1504-1514 ; archdeacon of Stafford and dean of St. 
 Mary's Salop He erected or completed the tower of 
 Battlefield church in 1503. See Battlefield Church, by the 
 Rev. W. G. Dimock Fletcher, F.S.A. 
 
 Chronological List of Brasses with Effigies. 
 
 c. 1370. Burford. Dame Elizabeth Cornewaylle. 
 
 ]382. Acton Burnell. Sir Nicholas Burnell. 
 
 c. 1390. Adderley. An ecclesiastic (abbot or bishop). 
 
 1467. Tong. Sir William Vernon and wife Margaret. 
 
 c. 1475. Harley. A man in armour and wife. 
 
 o. 1495. Ightfield. Dame Margery Calveley. 
 
 1497. Ightfield. William Maynwaryng. 
 
 1510. Tong. Ralph Elcok, priest. 
 
 1512. Withington. John Onley and wife Joan. 
 
 1517. Tong. Sir Arthur Vernon, M.A., priest. 
 
 1530. Withington. Adam Graffton, priest. 
 
 1533. Edgmond. Francis Yonge and wife Anne. 
 
 1560. Adderley. Sir Robert Nedeham and wife Agnes. 
 
 1564. Middle. Arthur Chambre and wife Margaret. 
 
 1571. Acton Scott. Thomas Mytton and wife Elsabeth. 
 
 o. 1580. Drayton. Rowland Corbet. 
 
 1592. Much Wenlock. Richard Ridley and wife Eleanor. 
 
 1599. Glazeley. Thomas Wylde and wife Elizabeth. 
 
 1616. Alveley. John Grove. 
 
 1640. Upton Cressett. Richard Cressett and wife Jane. 
 
 1653. Clun. Sir Robert Howard, K.B. (inscription with 
 devices). 
 
 LIST OF BRASSES ACCORDING TO COSTUME. 
 
 &.RMED Figures : — 
 
 (a) alone : 
 
 Acton Burnell, Sir Nicholas Burnell, 1382. 
 
 (b) with ladies : 
 
 Tong. Sir William Vernon and wife Margaret, 1467. 
 Harley. A man in armour and wife, c. 1475. 
 Withington. John Onley and wife Joan, 1512. 
 Adderley. Sir Robert Nedeham and wife Agnes, 1560.
 
 MONUMENTAL BE ASSES IN SHROPSHIRE. 103 
 
 Civilians : 
 
 (a) alone : 
 
 Ightfield. William Maynwaryng, 1497. 
 Drayton. Rowland Corbet, c. 1580. 
 Alvelet. John Grove, 1616. 
 
 (b) with ladies : 
 
 Middle. Arthur Chambre and wife Margaret, 1564. 
 Acton Scott. Thomas Mytton and wife Elsabeth, 1571. 
 Much Wenlock. Richard Ridley and wife Elianor, 1592. 
 Glazeley. Thomas Wylde and wife Elizabeth, 1599. 
 Upton Cressett. Richard Cressett and wife Jane, 1640 
 
 Ecclesiastics : 
 
 Adderley. An abbot or bishop, c. 1890. 
 Tong. Ralph Elcok, 1510. 
 
 Sir Arthur Vernon, M.A., 1517. 
 Withington. Adam Graffton, 1530. 
 
 Ladies : 
 
 Bdrford. Dame Elizabeth Cornewaylle, c. 1370. 
 Ightfield. Dame Margery Calveley, c. 1495. 
 
 Miscellaneous : 
 
 Edgmond. Francis Yonge (in shroud) and wife Anne, 1533 
 
 Clun. Sir Robert Howard, K.B., 1653 (inscription with 
 devices). 
 
 *<*>■ * 
 
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