The oldest monument in the church is the mutilated cumbent figure of a warrior clad in mail of the date of King John’s reign, and conjectured by the heralds at the visitation in 1623 to be the effigy of the Founder of the abbey, who died July 27th, 1094. It has been placed on a basement of early pointed arches, by the Rev. W. G. Rowland, M.A. to whose taste this church is mainly indebted for its interior beauty and interest.
On the fall of St. Chad’s and the demolition of St. Alkmund’s church, several ancient monuments found an habitation within the aisles of this church. To enumerate all the inscriptions on these and other memorials would far exceed the prescribed limits of these pages: a brief survey must therefore suffice.
Commencing at the eastern end of the south aisle, we find—a bust, under a Roman arch, in alderman’s robes, representing John Lloyd, alderman of this town, who died in 1647, aged 53.
Near this is a handsome altar-tomb bearing two cumbent figures, an alderman in his civic robes, with picked beard and bareheaded, and a lady in a scarlet gown, finished after the stiff habit of the times, denoting William Jones and Eleanor his wife; the former died in 1612, and the latter in 1623. These were brought from St. Alkmund’s.
An alabaster tomb from Wellington old church, described by Dugdale as “a faire raised monument, whereon is cut the portraiture of a man in armour, and by him his wife, with this inscription”—
Hic jacet in Tumba corpus Will’mi Chorlton armigeri et Anne Uxor’ ejus; que quidem Anna obiit vii die mensis Junii, Anno D’ni Mill’imo cccccxxiiii. et dictas Will’ms obiit p’mo die mensis Julii anno d’ni mill’imo cccccxliiii. quorum animab’ p’picietur Deus.
On the sides of the tomb are a series of canopied niches, with figures of angels and friars bearing shields, on which are emblazoned armorial bearings of the families of Charlton, Zouch, and Horde; one of the friars is remarkable, having a fox’s head peeping out from under his long gown.
In this part are handsome mural tablets with Latin inscriptions to the memory of individuals of the families of Rocke, Prince, Baldwin, &c. &c.
Near the south entrance is the cumbent figure of a cross-legged knight in linked armour, with surcoat, sword in scabbard, gauntlets on his hands, spurs on his heels, and his feet resting on a lion. It is considered to be the effigy of Sir Walter de Dunstanville, Lord of Ideshale, and a benefactor to Wombridge Priory, from whence the figure was brought. He died 25th Henry III.