45 



'* a croisader, and a lady in the dress of that age. Upon the 

 " shield, is an eagle displayed, part of the arms of De la Mere. 

 " At this period they held a manse, and 60 acres of land in this 

 "parish." 



A reference to the Inquisitionum Post Mortem, shows that 

 in the 5 Richard II. (1381,) Eobertus de la Mere died, 

 seized of lands, &c., in Wilts, Herts, Devon, Hereford, Oxon, 

 and of lands, &c., " at Munechenehampton, in Gloucestershire." 

 In 6 Henry IV. (1404,) " Matilda uxor Roberti de la Mere, 

 Chivaler," died, seized of these lands. The arms of the De la 

 Meres (who came originally from the neighbourhood of Caen, 

 in Normandy,) are, as given in Edmonson's Heraldry, very 

 various, but amongst others occur " three eagles," and "a Hon 

 passant." A pavement of encaustic tiles was found, in 1842, 

 underneath the stone pavement of this transept, the alternate 

 tiles of which bore a Hon passant, and an eagle displayed. 



From these facts it appears that our earlier county historians 

 are incorrect in assigning the foundation of this memorial chapel 

 to Ansloe, and that Bigland's statement may be received as 

 correct, with this exception, that it was a Sir ^'Robert," and 

 not "John," de la Mere, who, with his wife Matilda, built 

 this transept, and whose stone coffins and effigies occupy the 

 niches underneath its large window. 



