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Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland only
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Nosely: St Mary

NAME

TYPE

MATERIAL

DATE

Thomas and Frances Hesilrigg

Recumbent peer and lady

Alabaster

1630:1668: Restored in 1962

Sir Thomas is depicted in half-armour with gold buttons and wearing a ruff.

A pair of gauntlets lies at his feet, under which is the family crest – a Scotsman's head. This is said to have been given to a member of the family who, in the face of the army, killed a Scotch champion and present the head of the victim to his commander.

Frances is represented in a large ruff with the hair combed closely back under a cap and an unopened veil.

These two brightly painted effigies lie on a tomb-chest over which are the kneeling figures of their fourteeen children: eight boys and six girls: Donald, Arthur, John (who is remembered on a brass in Alderton, Northants), Thomas, Anthony, Robert, William, Anne, Jane, Mary (who died in 1569, is remembered on a memorial in Allesley, Warwickshire), Frances, Judith and Elizabeth.

Thomas's head is resting on a helm, while that of his wife Frances reclines on a cushion. Both have their hands in the attitude of prayer.

Over the effigies, between those of the children, and surmounted by the Hesilrigg arms (Argent, a chevron sable between three hazel leaves vert), is a square tablet bearing the following inscription:

    Here lyes Sir Thomas Hesilrige, knt & baronett, who, when he lived, was trusted with ye places of greatest honor and power in the country. He was prudent, and of imparttiall justice, of greate temperance and sobriety. He died the 11th day of January 1629 aged 66.

    Here lyes by him Dame Frances Hesilrige, daughter & heire of William Gorge of Aldington in the county of Northampt esq. She was of choice endowments both of mind and body. She adornd her family with fine cloth of her owne spinning. Sir Thomas Hasilrige had by her 8 sons & 6 daughters. She dyed in ye yeare 1668.

On the front of the chest are three sets of arms:

Westmost:

  1. Argent, a chevron sable between three hazel leaves vert (Hesilrig)
  2. Argent, three squirrels seiant gules (Martby)
  3. Gules three herons argent (Heron)
  4. Vert, a chevron between three martlets argent (Saddington)
  5. Argent, a cinquefoil sable (Martival)
  6. Vairy argent and sable, a canton gules (Staunton)
  7. Sable, on a bend between six martlets or (Eccleshall)
  8. Paly of six argent and gules, on a bend azure three horseshoes or (Meynell)
  9. Vairy argent and sable (De La Warde)
  10. Sable, a lion rampant argent (Everden)
  11. Argent, on a bend engrailed sable three mullets of the field (Entwistle)

Eastmost:

  1. Or, a whirlpool proper (Gorge ancient)
  2. Lozengy or and azure, over all a chevron gules (Gorges modern)
  3. Argent, on a chief gules three bezants (Camoys)
  4. Gules, a lion rampant ermine (Oldhall)
  5. Argent, a chevron sable, between three delves ermine (Englowise).

Central: the above two impaling.

At the west end of the tomb-chest is the motto Vivit solum post funera virtus ('Only virtue lives beyond the grave'). At the east end, in two separate shields are the arms of Hesilrigg and Gorge.

Sir Thomas succeeded to the family estate in 1600. Knighted by James in 1608 he became High Sheriff of the County in 1613. In 1622 he was advanced to the baronetcy, dying two years later. His wife Frances lived another 39 years, succumbing in 1668.

Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland
Text copyright Max Matthews 2002. Selected text copyright Bob Trubshaw 2025–6.
Images copyright Max Matthews 2002 or Bob Trubshaw 2002, 2025–6.
No copying or reproduction without prior written permission.
Published by Heart of Albion Press

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