THE HISTORY OF BREADSALL PRIORY. 



149 



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Dying soon after the purchase, Mr. Danvin bequeathed 

 the priory to his father, Dr. Darwin, the distinguished poet, 

 philosopher, and physician, who resided there until his death 

 on April 18th, 1802. 



After the death of Sir Francis Darwin, the estate was sold 

 in 1858 to Mr. Francis Morley, who resided there for some 

 years. After his decease, his trustees disposed of it to 

 Mr. Wood, who sold it in 1892 to Captain Rothwell. From 

 Captain Rothwell it was purchased in 1897 by its present 

 owner, Sir Alfred Seale Haslam, M.P. 



There is in the priory grounds a 

 headless and otherwise mutilated 

 alabaster effigy of a man in armour 

 kneeling on a pedestal. This was 

 mostimproperly turned out of Bread- 

 sail church, and placed here about 

 1840, at the same time that the 

 beautiful chancel screen was broken 

 up and other mischief done. From 

 the MS. accounts of Breadsall 

 church, given by Messrs. Lysons, 

 Meynell and Rawlins, prior to that 

 vandalism, it appears that this figure 

 formerly knelt on an octagonal 

 pedestal against the east wall, to the 

 north side of the altar. The pedestal 

 was ornamented round the cornice 

 with rudely-carved roses. It was then 

 not a little broken and disarranged, 

 for Mr. Meynell, in a drawing, shows that the head and 

 trunk had been turned round to face the feet ! The date 

 of this monument is not earlier than towards the close of 

 the sixteenth century. It may be compared with the kneeling 

 figure at Chesterfield to Sir Thomas Foljambe, 1604. It 

 would be sure to commemorate some person of importance 

 in the parish, and we have little doubt that it is to the 

 memory of the last of the Breadsall Dethicks, John Dethick, 

 who died in 1594. 



- A. Victor Haslam. 

 Breadsall Priory. Fragment of 

 kneeling effigy in alabaster, 

 late XVI. century. 



