File:St Michael and All Angels, Fenny Drayton, Leics - Wall monument - geograph.org.uk - 387635.jpg

English: CVhurch of St Michael & All Angels, Fenny Drayton, Leicestershire - mural monument (one of a pair) of George Purefoy (1535-1593), lord of the manor, who married Elizabeth Whethill, a daughter of Thomas Whethill of w:Sheepy, Leicestershire, by whom he left an only child and sole heiress Joyce Purefoy (1560-1596), who married her "distant connection" Edward Purefey (1555-1595) of Shalston, Buckinghamshire. Joyce's great-great grandson was Sir Henry Purefoy, 1st Baronet (1656–1686). The inscriptions on these monuments are transcribed in Nichols' History of Leicestershire, Vol.IV, p.594. Further reading: "FENNY DRAYTON AND THE PUREFEY MONUMENTS", BY GEORGE F(RANCIS) FARNHAM, AND ALBERT HERBERT, published in Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Vol.14, 1925, pp.84-112[1][2] (Fenny Drayton was in Sparkenhoe Hundred)

• Central shield, quarterly of 9 (see better image[3]):
  • 1: Sable, six armed hands in pairs embracing 2 and 1 argent (Purefoy (modern)) (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.830)
  • 2: Argent, on a fess azure three .... or
  • 3: Azure, three stirrups or (Purefoy (ancient)) (Dugdale Hist, of Warwickshire, I, p. 54, quoted in Farnham & Herbert).
  • 4: Gules, a chevron ermine between three lion's faces or ("Cole/Godwin/Goodwyn/Hill/Keyes/Willford/Willesford", per Papworth, John Woody, Alphabetical Dictionary of Coats of Arms Belonging to Families in Great Britain and Ireland, Vol.I, London, 1874, p.439)
  • 5: Or, three piles (in point) gules on a canton argent a mullet sable (Whellesborough of Wellsborough, Leicestershire) (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.1099 "Whellesborough of Whellesborough, Leicestershire"). Whellesburgh (now "Wellsborough"), in the former Hundred of Sparkenhoe, Leicestershire. Wikipedia: w:Sheepy is a civil parish in the Borough of Hinckley and Bosworth in Leicestershire, England. It contains the villages of Sheepy Magna, Sheepy Parva, Sibson, Wellsborough, Upton, Pinwall and Cross Hands. Text per Nichols' History of Leicestershire, Vol.IV (?), p.282[file:///C:/Users/Owner/Downloads/p15407coll6_11570%20(2).pdf] This Manor (Whellesburgh) gave name and seat to that antient family of Whellesburgh, who was Lord of the same; and bore " Or, three piles, gules, in a Canton, Argent, a mullet, sable." John de Whellesburgh, the last heir male of this family, in the 21st year of Richard the Second, sold this Manor, and the Manor of Drayton (Fenny Drayton), near adjoining, unto Thomas Purefey, and by another Deed granted his Arms unto him. The Deed runs thus: A toutes ceux a queus cestes lettres verront au ourront, Jehan de Whellesburgh saluz en Dieu. Saches que come 'Thomas Purefey eit le reversion des Manors de Whellesburgh & Fenny Drayton en le counte de Leicester ove les appurtenances. Mot le dit ....
  • 6: Argent, a bend (engrailed) sable a chief vairy or and gules (FitzHerbert of w:Norbury, Derbyshire) Thomas Purefoy (1472-1539) married Margery FitzHerbert, daughter (and heiress) of Sir Ralph FitzHerbert of w:Norbury, Derbyshire. Arms of FitzHerbert, Baron Stafford; arms of FitzHerbert of Swinnerton/Swynnerton in Staffordshire and of Norbury in Derbyshire: Argent a chief vairy or and gules a bend sable. The manor of Norbury in Derbyshire was conferred on William FitzHerbert in 1125 by William, Prior of Tutbury. (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.355). Arms of "FitzHerbert of Leicestershire": Argent, a bend engrailed sable a chief vairy or and gules (as seen here), per Burke, 1884, p.355. Also the arms of Norbury of w:Norbury, Derbyshire / Norberrey, Derbyshire (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.736). Norbury Manor was given to Henry de Ferrers in 1081. The chief appears to represent the arms of Ferrers, Earl of Derby: Vairy or and gules, possibly as overlord.
  • 7: Or, on a fess gules three water-bougets argent (Bingham of Watnall Chaworth, Nottinghamshire) (Marshall, G. W., ed. (1871). The Visitations of the County of Nottingham in the years 1569 and 1614, with many other descents of the same county. Harleian Society, 1st ser. Vol. 4. London, Pedigree of Bingham, p.121[4]) (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.83 "Bingham of Nottinghamshire", with water-bougets ermine); Ralph Purefoy (1489-1554) (grandfather of George Purefoy (1535-1593)) married Anne Bingham, daughter and heiress of Richard Bingham of "Watnow" (now w:Watnall, formerly Watnall Chaworth), Nottinghamshire, by his wife Anne Strelley, a sister and co-heiress of Sir Nicholas Strelley of Linby, Nottinghamshire
  • 8: Gules, a fess ermine between two chevrons or (Charnells of w:Muston, Leicestershire, a Bingham heiress) (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.186 "Charnells of Snareston, Leicestershire"). John Bingham (fl.1444) married Elizabeth Charnells, daughter and heiress of Norman Charnells of Muston, Leicestershire (Marshall, G. W., ed. (1871). The Visitations of the County of Nottingham in the years 1569 and 1614, with many other descents of the same county. Harleian Society, 1st ser. Vol. 4. London, Pedigree of Bingham, p.121[5]). These arms were a difference of the arms of their feudal overlord, D'Aubigny/de Albini/Albany, of Belvoir Castle (Arms of William d'Aubigny/Daubeney/d'Albini (d.1236), Lord of w:Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, arms per Glover's Roll: Or, two chevrons gules a bordure of the last). The Charnells of Muston held from D'Aubigny/de Albini by the feudal tenure of castle-guard at Belvoir Castle. Other feudal tenants of D'Aubigny/de Albini similarly adopted (or were granted) arms incorporating the two chevrons of D'Aubigny/de Albini (Source: James Thompson, The Early Heraldry of Leicestershire, Transactions of the Leicestershire Architectural and Archæological Society, Vol.1, Part 1, 1862, p.47 [6][7]). Their relatives the Charnells of Elmsthorpe bore Azure, a cross engrailed or.
  • 9: Paly of six argent and azure (Strelley of Strelley, Nottinghamshire) (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.980). Ralph Purefoy (1489-1554) (grandfather of George Purefoy (1535-1593)) married Anne Bingham, daughter and heiress of Richard Bingham of "Watnow" (now w:Watnall, formerly Watnall Chaworth), by his wife Anne Strelley, a sister and co-heiress of Sir Nicholas Strelley of Linby, Nottinghamshire

• Whethill of w:Sheepy, Leicestershire: Azure, on a fess or three mullets gules (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, pp.1099-1100)

pp.94-5[8]:

We rarely find in a small village church such a series of decorative monuments as at Fenny Drayton. Apart from these monuments, the interior would have a plain and unattractive appearance. The twin recesses in the north wall of the chancel claim first attention. They were erected by Joyce Purefey (i.e. Joyce Purefey, only daughter and sole heiress of George Purefoy (d.1593) and wife of her "distant connection" Edward Purefey of Shalston, Buckinghamshire) and are dated 1596 on the imposts. There is a stern Roman treatment in the shallow recesses and inscriptions of the lower portion reminiscent of work carried out before the Christian era; and above this severe band the sculptor, imbued with a fine decorative sense,

has effected a thoroughly clever scheme. Obviously, he required considerable space for his lengthy L,atin inscriptions, but the long panels resorted to are incorporated in a splendid piece of design in which the series of emblazoned shields and the long panels are ingeniously knit together with strap work, scrolls and rosettes. Enhanced by the rather severe moulded arches and unfluted engaged columns these monuments form a lovely piece of colour and craftsmanship. With the exception of the"framing and base courses, which are in saiftlstone, the whole of the monument is executed in alabaster. Each recess is 5' 6" wide, and the total width and height of the whole monument are 14' 8" and 11' 7" respectively.

pp.92-3[9]:

Eight generation of Purefeys appear to have made Fenny

Drayton their place of residence. In 1593 George Purefey died leaving an only daughter Joyce as his heir, Joyce had married a distant connection Edward Purefey, of Shalston, co. Bucks. Edward Purefey had succeeded to the manor of Shalston, which descended to him from his ancestor William Purefey, who married Marian, the daughter and heir of Alan Ayete of Shalston, and died in 1466. Edward Purefey died on 15 March, 1595, and his relict Joyce on 31 August, 1596, leaving a numerous family. The monuments in the chancel of Fenny Drayton church were erected by Joyce Purefey. The eldest son George Purefey married three times. 1. Mary, daughter and co-heir of Sir Valentine Knightley, knight, of Fawsley, co. Northants. 2. Dorothy, the sister of Edward Denny, 1st Earl of Norwich (1569-1637), 3. Jane, relict of Sir Thomas Glover, knight, and daughter of Francis Roberts, esq. It is to Jane that we owe the handsome monument now in the north aisle of Fenny Drayton church. - By his first marriage George Purefey had, with other children, a son also named George, who succeeded through his mother (daughter and one of the co-heirs of Sir Valentine Knightley, knighj:), to an estate at Wadley in Berkshire, which came to her from her mother's family the Unions of Wadley. 8 The mansion at Wadley thus became the residence of the Purefeys, though they continued' in possession of their manor of Fenny Drayton. This George Purefey the younger was nominated as one of the intended Knights of the Royal Oak in 1661, his estate being supposed to be worth £3000 a year, but he died in the same year and was buried at Drayton. His son and successor was a third George, who married Katherine, one of the daughters and co-heirs of Sir Henry Willoughby, baronet, of Risley, co. Derby, by whom he had a son Henry, baptised 14 August, 1656, who was created a baronet 4 Dec., 1662, in his father's lifetime, and when he was only 6 years of age. 9 The reason for this is not very apparent, even if we accept one author's explanation that the father had lost his reason. Sir Henry is best remembered at Fenny Drayton by his having given a bell inscribed with his name and the date 1684 to the church there. He died without issue, and probably unmarried, on 19 August, 1686, when the baronetcy

became extinct.