16th Century Anglo Saxon Richard Willison And Wife Anne Elton Of England

Nobleman Richard Willison died on 23rd February 1574. His wife Anne Elton Willison was buried here on 22nd June 1591 – Church of the ‘Nativity of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Madley Herefordshire.

Tomb of Richard Willison (d.1575) and his wife at the west end of the outer south aisle. The tomb is the work of John Gildo, the continental sculptor of the more flamboyant tombs at Bosbury. Richard’s effigy is heavily damaged, missing his face, hands and entire lower half for reasons to hide his true identity. Richard’s wife, Anne Elton, is a melanated woman based on her facial phenotype. I’m sure the beheaded lion at the feet of Anne Elton was originally at her husband Richards’s feet and was moved there due to the feet of Richard being destroyed.

The monument is inscribed, “This Town John Gildo made.” ( John Gildon was a sculptor from Hereford) Richard Willison of Sugwas, Eaton Bishop, Lessee of the Upper Hall Ledbury. As with most tombs of this kind they depict scenes from the occupant’s lives, such as wife and children.

Madley’s church of the Nativity of the Virgin is one of the grandest, most impressive village churches I’ve ever seen. Its scale is somewhat out of proportion to the size of the community it serves. The west tower and nave are very early examples of Gothic, dating from the 1200s, whilst the long chancel with its unusual polygonal apse and crypt, along with the extra aisle to the south of the nave, are Decorated additions from the 14th century. The overall scale and length of the building make it seem more like a small cathedral.

The interior space is equally impressive, somewhat cavernous, with the eye drawn to the apse windows without distraction. These windows contain the real treasure of this church, its famous medieval glass. Most of it is a patchwork of fragments. Still, there are three fine 14th-century figures from a former Jesse Tree, along with several much earlier roundels, c1200 and probably belonging to the previous chancel, reused when it was extended a century or more later.

Noblewoman Anne was one of 2 daughters of William Elton of Ledbury, 1558 & 1st wife, Margery, daughter of John Carew, 1529 & Elizabeth, daughter of Christopher Martyn / Martin of Athelhampton. Her sister Elizabeth m Richard Seaborne of Sutton ( buried at Pentridge May 1605).

Her father, William Elton m2 Margery, daughter of William Leighton of Cardington, Shropshire, by Dorothy, daughter of Sir Thomas Lacon. having more children – Roland, buried at Ledbury 1576; Edward 1565/6; Sybil Nashe 1578; Anne; & Peter 1594 husband of Ann Norris 1595; (Margery Leighton Elton m2 John Hope)

Children

1. John died without heirs (this claim is common because it prevents the real heirs that were put into slavery from making any claims to land that the Willison would’ve owned before the Cromwell race wars.

2. Daughter Anne m Alexander Denton 1576 of Hillesden Bucks, son of Thomas Denton & Margaret Mordaunt, daughter of John 1st baron Mordaunt of Turvey and Elizabeth de Vere 

Anne died in childbirth aged 17 on 29th October 1566 and lay on a monument with Alexander at Hereford Cathedral Alexander m2 Mary, daughter of Sir Roger Martin 1567, Lord Mayor of London having a son Sir Thomas Denton of Hillesden c1574-1633 m Susan, daughter of John Temple of Stow Bucks) Alexander is buried in All Saints church Hillesden Bucks 

“They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;.Gebal, and Ammon, and *Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;” *Amalek is the grandson of Esau

Psalms 83: 4-7 KJV  

Sources: Image  Aidan McRae Thomson (image) jmc4 – Church Explorer Fair Use Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, allowance is made for “fairuse” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.