Public Displays of Staveley Arms
 |
Ripon, Yorkshire: The ‘Staveley' window shown at left in Ripon Cathedral displays the arms of Sampson Staveley (1605-81 - Stainley line) and Thomas Kitchingman ‘Staveley’ (Hutchinson), (1780-1860) in adjoining panes. |
Hunmanby, Yorkshire: There is certainly an heraldic shield (stags heads caboshed etc.) on the alabaster monument in Hunmanby church to the Staveley family of William and Rosamunda Staveley (b. 1705) of Bridlington, though it is not totally clear if this was part of the original memorial or later restoration. There is also one on a memorial in Pocklington Church to the memory of Walter Staveley (1701-1797) and his wife Alice (1710-1773) of the Bridlington line. This tablet was erected by their wealthy ‘grocer’ nephew, Walter of Beverley, but I was intrigued to find (on personal visitation!) that the stags heads shown are not caboshed but ‘couped’ (side on and cut of at the bottom of the neck). The background is argent, the lozenges and chevron sable and the stags heads are ‘or’ which is the blazon of the original North Stainley arms although the stags head device is of course different. However I have concern that this use of arms and the Irish motto (Fidelis ad Urnam) was perhaps erroneous as there is no record at all of the Bridlington family of this era ever having had a grant of arms except their illegal use by them in the 17th c. They may well have been misled later by the Irish connections in the 18th Century as to their lineage! Or yet again there just maybe more here to this story than is readily apparent at the moment. My only real conclusion over heraldic links generally is that they tend to confuse rather than clarify things!
Twyford, Buckinghamshire: The Leicester arms appear in recent documents I have uncovered re. Thomas Staveley which would appear to confirm the connection with this family and the North Stainley one in Yorkshire via William (1430-98 in Bicester on whose memorial - now sadly lost to time, the stags head device was shown). It is however still intact in the beautiful village church of Twyford in Bucks. It is carved into the wonderful 16th C. table tomb of Thomas Gifford and his wife Mary (nee Staveley d.1550), she being the youngest daughter of William Staveley (1430-98). They are also shown ‘impalled’ (half a shield each) with the arms of Gifford - three lions rampant. A later inscription is in Pangbourne Church to Mary, deceased wife of Ambrose Staveley, rector. 30th September 1660 (3 x great-grandson of William Staveley 1430-98).
Ashton-Under-Lyne, Lancashire: The Cheshire arms were, I was told, on the Church tower of Ashton under Lyne although I have now had the chance to visit the church and despite a pretty thorough search was unable to locate them. Sir Thomas Ashton, who married Elizabeth Staveley, was Lord of Ashton-under-Lyne and contributed to the rebuilding of the church there, on the tower of which were said to be his arms impaled with those of ‘Staveley’. You will however find Elizabeth’s image captured in one of the stained glass windows from the early 16th century. Elizabeth was born abt. 1442 and was the daughter of Sir Ralph Staveley who was stated as ‘Lord of Staveley’ (in Derbyshire) and a Knight of Henry VI.
North Stainley, Yorkshire: Two are displayed in the stained glass windows of Stainley Hall, North Stainley.
Author: Peter Staveley