Stone tablet left of the altar German Pole and his second wife Margaret. After German Pole's death Margaret became the second wife of John Claye. Margaret was the daughter of Edward, son of Sir John Ferres of Tamworth. German Pole was grandson to Ralph Pole. The Pole family were great benefactors and patrons of St Mary's. There is a stone set in the floor, near to the William Wakebridge effigy, (almost obliterated), to Beatrice (eldest daughter of John Babbington of Dethick) and her husband Ralph Pole. This stone memorial slab used to be set in the floor. In 1861 it was moved and set in the chancel floor with a board placed over it for protection. The board proved to be a "stumbling block". The memorial was then placed in its current position near the altar. From John Reynolds "A Description of Crich Parish Church in Derbyshire" transcribed by Stuard Hill – On the Tombstone is the following Inscription, in Roman capital letters, all of which are very plain, only the beginning of the lines are wanting, by reason of the southeast corner of the said Tombstone being broke off and lost, the said Inscription having a stop (or point) between every word, follows, tus.osti.corpus.Gormani.Poole.Dominus.de.Wakebrugge. From what is left of this Inscription and the remains of another mutilated one in the Chancel (hereafter taken notice of) one may perceive it was intended to be as follows Hic situm ost corpus Gormani Poole, domini de Wakebruge in comitatu Derbie, armigou qui ab hoc seculo transmigravit [19] die Aprilis, Anno à virginis partu 1588. Duxitquo uxorem Margaretam filiam Edwardi filii Johannis Ferrers de Tamworth militis Postoa ronupta predicta Margareta fuit Johanni Claye, genorose et utrique sterilis orat 1592. TRANSLATION (courtesy of Dominic Andrews) Here lies the body of German Pole, master of Wakebridge in the county of Derby, a squire who departed this lifeon the 19th day of April in the year 1588 from our Virgin’s birth. He took to wife Margaret the daughter of Edward son of John Ferrers a soldier from Tamworth. Afterwards the aforementioned Margaret was married by John Clay who died both noble born and sterile. Read the full history of the Church in Reynold Manuscript NB. It appears from the old parish Register that Gorman Poole of Wakebridge was buried the 26th April 1588. |
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