226 NORBURY MANOR HOUSE AND THE FITZHERBERTS. 
It has been conjectured that the old part of this barn dates from 
the time of Sir Nicholas Fitzherbert, in the second half of the 
fifteenth century. But, after careful thought and study of the 
comparatively little that is known with precision of domestic 
architecture, we have come to the conclusion that parts of this 
old barn, as well as the Great Hall, go back to the end of the 
reign of Edward I. 
John Fitzherbert, twelfth lord of Norbury, died on the vigil 
of St. James, 1531, and is buried in the south-west chapel of the 
nave of Norbury church, which chapel, as well as other parts of 
the church, he had built. He does not appear to have interfered 
with the fabric of the Manor House, otherwise than in the probable 
connection between the house and the church, to which allusion 
has already been made. An Inventory of Heir-looms, attached to 
his Will, gives a valuable insight as to the furnishing of a country 
gentleman’s house of that date. 
There is a copy of the long and remarkable will of John Fitz- 
herbert entered in the Episcopal Registers of Lichfield under the 
year of his death.* As it is unique in its provisions, and note- 
worthy throughout, the major part of it is reproduced /i/eratim, 
as well as the Inventory. There are only one or two notes given 
as to the different members of the family mentioned therein, as a 
reference to the accompanying pedigree (reverse of Plate XIX.) 
will fully explain the different relationships. 
He begins his Will, dated September 22nd, 1517, after leaving 
his body to be buried in the parish church of Norbury ‘‘under the 
newe made arche benethe the Steple or els where God shall 
otherwyse dispose. it,” with a variety of small ecclesiastical 
bequests, which probably procured his testament the place that it 
occupies in the Diocesan Records. He leaves thirteen pounds 
of wax to be used in as many tapers “abowte my herse,” two 
tapers to burn night and day upon the herse till the seventh da 
was past. 
Every man, woman, and child at the burying to have a farthing 
* “* Lichfield Episcopal Registers,” vol. xiv., ff. ro06—111. For an abstract 
of this will I am indebted to my friend, Mr. H. Palmer Welchman. 
