The Wolley Tomb

Now placed under the west window of the south aisle, having been moved there from the east end of the north aisle in 1907, this altar tomb is that of Anthony Wolley of Riber, who died in 1578, and his wife.

Wolley Tomb

The upper slab is of alabaster, and on it are incised figures of the man and his wife, and their six children. Round the margin of the tomb runs the inscription:

Here lyeth the bodies of anthonie wolley and agnes his wyefe wch anthonie dyethe iiij daye of september in the yere of our Lorde m d lxxviij (aged) lxxij on whose soules God hathe taken mercy on.

Wolley Memorial

Professor Pevsner was almost certainly correct in his suggested attribution of this memorial to the Royleys of Burton-on-Trent. Similar work may be found in many Midland churches. At this period alabaster was still being quarried at Chellaston, near Derby. The Wolley family were prominent inhabitants of the district for many generations.

Wolley Coat of Arms

The British Library has a large collection of manuscript material assembled by Adam Wolley in the early nineteenth century towards a projected but unwritten history of Derbyshire. In the Lady Chapel above the altar is to be seen an eighteenth century funeral hatchment displaying the Wolley coat of arms:

sable a chevron vairé or and gules between three maidens’ heads affrontée couped at the shoulders proper crined or.