Individual Details

Sir John de Darley

( - Abt 1350)

[Richard Hodgson]

The next member of the family on whom there is any real information is Sir John de Darley, great-grandson of Andrew, who Dakeyne, the 19th century antiquarian who lived in Darley Dale, tells us rebuilt Darley Old Hall in 1321. Sir John may have been a Templar. There is a boss of medieval glass in the window of the north transept of Darley Dale Church which shows the Lamb and Flag, the emblem of the Order, and it has been suggested many times that he was a Crusader, even though the Crusades were over by his time. Whatever his past, he spent more time in his manor than his predecessors and in 1321 he hired William de Kelstede, a master mason, to rebuild the wooden hall in stone, the original contract for which still survives. He also rebuilt the church, leaving only the Saxon Sacristy untouched and gave the church its fine tower which is still much as he built it, though it had to be strengthened on the north side in 1854. There was only one serious fault in the work - the pillars on the south side of the nave had to be replaced about 1380, which accounts for their octagonal shape. Those in the north aisle are round.
Sir John died in about 1350, the time of the Black Death, 'his heart coming out of his mouth whilst hunting on the Sabbath day'. Sir John's effigy survives although his tomb has long since disappeared. At least from the 17th century, the figure occupied a niche under the window of the south transept, but now it lies on a plinth in the south aisle.
Sir John left an heir, Edmond, Lord of Darley and Alderwasley, who died soon after him, and another son Ralph who died in 1370. Ralph held half of the manor of Darley from the king at an annual rent of 13s, 4d. The other half of the manor, mortgaged and forfeited, was disputed by the Plumptons and Foljambes, each of whom claimed it. The Foljambes won.
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The oldest of its monuments in the church at Darley Dale is the stone tomb of the cross-legged knight, Sir John de Darley (c1330).
Sir John de Darley. He is represented clad in a surcoat over his coat of mail.

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Events

DeathAbt 1350
BurialDarley Dale, Derbyshire, , England

Families