22 THE CHURCH OF ST. HELEN S. DARLEY DALE. 



Lettice, daughter of Otwell Needham, of Snitterton. Anne 

 was buried at Darley, 31st August, 1567. A few years later 

 this manor was divided into four portions, and became, by 

 marriage or purchase, the property of as many families, one of 

 them being the Columbells. In the nave of the church there 

 was an incised alabaster slab, noted by Mr. Suckling in 1825, on 

 which he read the words, " Richard Wendesley.'' This stone is 

 now fixed against the west wall of the south aisle, by the 

 Columbell monument. Both inscription and effigy are almost 

 completely erased, but there are traces of a central female figure, 

 with three children below, two boys and one girl. The marginal 

 inscription is in Roman characters, and but little more than 

 " Daughter to Richard Wendesley of Wendesley Esq.," can 

 now be read. The date, 1603, can also be just made out. 

 According to the register, George Columbell married Cicely 

 Wendesley in 1550. She is not mentioned in any of the pedi- 

 grees we have seen ; but it seems that she was another daughter 

 of Richard Wendesley, and therefore co-heiress with Anne. 

 This is the more probable as it is stated in one pedigree that 

 Anne only brought half of Wendesley manor to her husband. 

 It is clear that this tomb must be either to the memory of 

 Cicely or Anne, and as we learn from Mitchell's pedigree of 

 Wendesley that Anne was buried at Darley on the 31st day of 

 August, 1567, it may safely be assigned to Cicely, the wife of 

 George Columbell. That the manor of Wendesley was of 

 some importance appears from the fact that the Wendesleys 

 supported a chaplain of their own at an early date, who pro- 

 bably officiated in a chapel for themselves and their tenantry 

 attached to the manor house. In a charter of Edward II. 

 mention is made of William de Bruggeton, who was chaplain to 

 Roger de Wendesley on his manor of Wendesley. 



Another ancient manor in this parish was that of Little 

 Rowsley. It is said to have belonged to the ancient family 

 of Rollesley or Rowsley, who took their name from this place, 

 as early as the reign as Richard I. The north transept of 

 Darley church was considered the " Rollesley Quire," and was 



