Photograph of the Poley family ledger stone in the north nave transept.

Poley family (d. 1760-1765)

A ledger stone in the north nave transept is dedicated to the memory of the Poley family.

The black marble rectangular ledger measures 1379mm x 2843mm.

Incised Roman letters, some worn, below a large oval brass plate with an armorial shield: Poley, Golden a lion sable.

Inscription

Subtus positae sunt reliquiae
RICHARDI POLEY, Armigeri, artiumq Magistri,
Collegii quondam Reginalis aqud Cantabrigienses,
Et regiae randem societatis Socii
Neenon Regibus GEORGIO II et m
Ex Ante aambulonibus houoranrijs.
Genus si forte exeuia, Lector,
Invenies illum fuifse Filium primogenium
THOMAE POLEY:
Ex equesiri illa et antiqua orti Familia POLEYORUM
De BOXTED HALL in Agro Suffolcicnsi,
(remotioribu ab aevis proventa de Misma in Saxonia)
Et FRANCISCAE Conjugis suae,
Dominiq RICHARDI HEAD Baronetti ex secondo ventre Filiae.
Subtus ciiam suni positae reliquia Uxoris citis ELIZABETHAE
Filiae positumiae ROBERTI WILFORD Armigeri
Navisq bellicae Piaefceit;
Ex equesui illa indem et antiqua orii WILFORDORUM Familia
De illden in parte Canni orientah
Et ELIZABETHAE Conjours suae.
Dominiq ROBERTI FAUNCE de MAIDSTONE Lquins auran
Filiae primogenirae:
Ex qua duas suscepir Filas, quarum aliera majorq natu
ELIZABETHA Marri raimun supersutit
Patriq unicum solamen
Obiit illa vicefsimo octavo die Maij
Anno saluris 1765, Aeraris sure 76
Ille aurem
(idemq haeres uluinis masculus isiius antiquae Familiae)
Vicefsimo die Januarii Anno saluus 1770, Aetatis suae 87
Siquid laude dignum secusve fecerit vel ille vel illa

[Inscription from here is worn and fragmentary, the names ELIZABETHIA POLEY and ELIZABETHIA POLEY and the date Nov 24 1792 can be discerned]

Translation

Underneath have been placed the remains of Sir RICHARD POLEY, M.A., from Queen's College, Cambridge and fellow of the Royal Society: also One of the Gentlemen of the Antechamber to Kings George II and George III. Reader, if you chance to know his family, you will find that he was the eldest Son of Thomas Poley: of that ancient and Landed family of POLEY of BOXTED HALL in Suffolk (which had come in more distant times from Meissen in Saxony), and of FRANCES, his wife, Daughter of Mr RICHARD HEAD, Baronet.

Also placed underneath are the remains of his Wife, ELIZABETH, Postumous Daughter of Sir ROBERT WILFORD, naval captain; Sprung from that ancient and landed family of WILFORD, from Illden, in the eastern part of Kent: and [daughter] of ELIZABETH, His wife, eldest daughter of Mr. ROBERT FAUNCE of MAIDSTONE, that splended gentleman: from whom he received Two Daughters, only the elder of whom, ELIZABETH, survived her mother, and remained the Only comfort to her father. She died on the 20th day of May, in the year of grace 1765, in her 76th year. And he died (the last male heir of that ancient Family) on the 20th day of January, in the year of grace 1760, in his 87th year .......]