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NAME TYPE MATERIAL DATE William and Anne Wollaston Mural busts Alabaster 1666

The freestanding busts of William and Anne are each under a segmental arch in the centre of which there is a gilded cherub. Surmounted by a steep semicircular broken pediment with thick garlands and the Wollaston griffen crest, at the top of the monument are the arms: Argent, three mullets pierced sable with a crescent for difference (Wollaston) impaling Azure, on a cross quarter-pierced or, four churns gules, a crescent gules for difference (Whitgrave). Beneath which are three shields bearing Wollaston impaling ? Wollaston impaling Argent, a fess sable (Keighley) Wollaston impaling Azure fretty argent (Cave) The inscription, which is inscribed on a black marble panel bordered by scrolls in which there are still traces of red paint, reads: Near this place is buried the body of William Woolaston, Lord of the Manor of Shenton in the county of Leicestershire, eldest son of Henry Woolaston, of St Martin's Orgers parish London, esq, who descended from the Woolastons of Perton in the county of Staffordshire. He was born in November 1501 and departed this life the 10th of December 1666, anno ætatis 86. And also in the same place is buried the body of Anne Woolaston his wife, who departed this life the 16th day of February 1629, anno ætatit 31. She was one of the daughters of Humphrey Whitgrave, of Great Bridgeford in the county of Stafford, gent. They had 4 sonnes: Henry, William, Richard and John: the two youngest died in their infancy and lye here buried. Henbry married Elizabeth the daughter of Thomas Keighly, of Hartingford Parke in the county of Hereford, esq, and died without issue, 10 March, 1662, anno ætatis 44. William married Elizabeth, the onely daughter of Francis Cave of Ingersby in the county of Leicestershire, and hath had issue by her three sons and three daughters; William, Henry and Elizabeth are dead; Francis Anne and Rebecca are living. Francis died of smallpox in 1684 aged 17 and is memorialised in the church of Waltham Holy Cross, Essex. William Woolaston, who built a new manor house at Shenton in 1629, was High Sheriff for Leicestershire in 1629 and for Staffordshire in 1630. He was a good landlord who kept rents low. During the civil wars he supported the Crown and as such had to go to London for safety. He died in December 1666 age 86 and was succeeded by William, his second son (Henry, the eldest being dead). 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 Back to top of this page This website does not gather or store any visitor information.