The floor-stone on the south side, as may be seen in the picture, shows the resting-place of John de Strelley: the inscription is scarcely legible, but it has been recorded thus: "Hic jacet Johes objit . . .[s]ancti Petri ad vincula. Anno dm. 1421 et Anno Regni Henrici Quinti post conqiiestum Angliae nono citjus animie propitietur Deus Amen." Another floor-stone may be mentioned, namely, one to Sir Robert de Strelley, who fought at Agincourt in the retinue of Lord Grey of Codnor; also there is a brass plate to Robert Strelley and his wife, Isabella, daughter of Thomas Kemp of Olanteigh, co. Kent, and sister to Cardinal Archbishop Kemp, MCCCCLXXVII.

TTomb of John Strelley, Armiger (1487), and his wife.

Tomb of John Strelley, Armiger (1487), and his wife.

Under a highly-carved square canopy of Mansfield stone against the north wall of the Chancel, and extending partly within the rails, is the tomb of John Strelley and his wife, Sanchia or Saunchia, daughter of Sir Robert Willoughby. The structure is evidently the design and work of the same craftsman as the one over the Purbeck marble slab that bears the brass of Richard Willoughby and his wife (1471), in the neighbouring Church of St. Leonard's, Wollaton. In the upper portion at Strelley are figures which are said to represent the Deity, St. John the Baptist, and St. John the Evangelist, whilst arranged along the front are four shields bearing the arms of Strelley impaling those of (i) Kemp, gules, three garbs within a bordure engrailed or (the bordure, however, is not shown), (ii) Willoughby, or, on two bars gules three water bougets argent; (iii) Pierrepont, argent, semee of cinque/oils gules, a lion rampant sable; (iv) Stanhope, sable, a bend between six crosses crosslet argent. Respecting the last-named arms, Dr. Thoroton points out in his history (under Shelford, p. 148), "this family of Stanhope before used the Coat of Lungvillers for their paternal coat."

Crest on tomb of John de Strelley.

Crest on tomb of John de Strelley.

The Squire is represented in a fine suit of Gothic armour of the best period. The fluted tuilles and small overlapping plates above and beneath the genouilleres, the large coutes or elbow guards, constitute a nice example of armour of his period. He is represented bareheaded, having long hair but a clean shaven face; his head is upon his helmet, which with its tasselled lambrequin, is surmounted by the family crest, viz.: a man's head couped at the shoulders swart, crined sable, encircled by a band gules, belled or (Notts. Visitation, Harl. Society, 1871). Mail still lingers in his equipment, for a baguette thereof may be detected depending beneath the tuilles; a double chain is round his neck, and his feet, which are in sabbatons, rest against a couchant lion, sitting on which are represented the figures of two little bedesmen or "weepers"; each holds a string of beads, and their attitude is indicative of grief, or sleep. The lady's dress is simple except for a handsome belt and necklet; long lappels hang from her head-dress over her shoulders. The inscription round the chamfer is an excellent example of artistic lettering. It runs:

This Squire gave directions that he should be "buried in the north part of the Chancel, against the High Altar," and bequeathed "10 marks to make him an alabaster tomb." As already stated, he died without leaving male issue. It was in his time that the Strelley family in Nottinghamshire was at the zenith of its prosperity.

Dr. Thoroton, 170 years later, states that in his day "this Manor hath been the inheritance of lawyers," and also that Nicholas Strelley made his living by "some ingenious manufacture in glass, which he spins and orders very cunningly." After the death of John Strelley, with the exception of the Strelley and Bilborough estates, which remained for his younger brother Nicholas, his property became divided among his daughters.

It is satisfactory to know that this interesting Church, and its contents, are so well cherished by the present Squire of Strelley.

At the foot of John de Strelley's effigy. In Strelley church.

At the foot of John de Strelley's effigy.

In Strelley church.