THE CHURCH OF NORBURY. 77 



were he\(\ in reverent and real or recent memory liy the first 

 founders. Surh dediralions were often disliirlied i:)y sul)seqiient 

 Norman re-huildin^s, l)ut where they are met with they are 

 frequently in association with the remains of ancient Christian 

 crosses. Thus in Derbyshire there are, anions; the few old 

 dedications of English origin, those of St. Werhurgh at Black- 

 well and Spondon ; St. Alkmund at Derby ; and St. Chad at 

 Wilne ; and in every one of these cases there are highly 

 interesting remains of pre-Conquest crosses. 



A further slight correction to the list of rectors given in 

 1877 .should be made. John Drope was then inserted between 

 rectors who were respectively instituted in 1627 and 1639; but 

 a certain doubt was expressed as to his right to that position, 

 as no mention of him could be found either at Lichfield or in 

 the returns of the Augmentation Office. The matter can, 

 however, now be set at rest. John Dropes plain table-monu- 

 ment used to stand against the south wall of the chancel, but 

 was ejected in the 1842 " restoration."' It now stands in the 

 churchyard near the south entrance. Tt used to bear on the 

 top slab the simple words, " a.d. 1629, John Drope, Septem. 

 29." To these were added, about 1875, the words, "Rector 

 of Norbury, formerly Demy, of Magd. Coll., Oxford." John 

 Drf)pe was a member of a Northamptonshire family dis- 

 tinguished in the seventeenth century annals of Magdalen 

 College. He was, in conjunction with his two brothers, 

 educated as a boy in the Magdalen choir school, and was 

 one of the chapel choristers. He subsequently became a 

 Demy of the college, took his B.A. degree, and became a 

 fellow of the college in 1608-9; M.A., 1612; proctor, 1618; 

 B.D., 1619; Vice-President of Magdalen, 1620; licen.sed 

 preacher, 1623; rector of Grindon, Staffordshire, 1626; and 

 rector of Norbury, Derbyshire, 1628. He held this rector)' 

 for a very short time, for he died, as stated on the monument, 

 on September 29th, 1629.* 



* Foster's A/iiiimi Oxotiienses ; nnd Bloxam's and Macray's Ufat^dahn 

 /\es;isters. 



