The Digby Monuments
The oldest monument in the northeast corner of the chancel is to Simon Digby (d.1519) and Alice his wife. The tomb and effigies are of alabaster and look stylistically quite medieval. This is the same Simon Digby who first gained possession of the manor having fought for Henry VII at the battles of Bosworth and Stoke. On his death he left a bequest for the foundation of Coleshill Grammar School.
The western of the two tombs on the south side of the chancel belongs to Simon’s son “Reginolde Dygby Esquyer” (d.1549) and Anne his wife. It once stood free of the wall as the inscription is carried round all four sides of the moulded edge of the top slab. This tomb is the odd one out insofar as the occupants are shown as two-dimensional figures incised on the top slab. Look carefully and you can still see patches of rare original bitumen fill within the incised design, notably on the upper part of the image of Anne. The small, incised figures beneath the couple’s feet represent their 12 children.
The third oldest monument is the western one on the north side to “John Dyggeby of Colleshull” (d.1558) and his wife Anne Throgmorton. He was the son of Reginald. The recumbent effigies are of painted alabaster. On the east face of the tomb chest are the small standing figures of four sons, one in armour, two in boys’ gowns, and the fourth a swaddled baby.
The fourth tomb in the southeast corner is to John’s son Sir George Digby MP (d.1587) and Abigail his wife. The design of the monument has a more Renaissance style than the other Digby tombs. On the north side of the tomb chest can be seen the kneeling figures of four sons, the first an infant, the other three with beards or moustaches and wearing armour. At the west end is the figure of a daughter in a close cap, ruff, and red dress. If you visit on a sunny day you may catch sunlight streaming through the south chancel windows giving Abigail the appearance of a blue rinse and adding colour to her cheeks.
Other monuments in the chancel include a stone tablet on the north wall commemorating Sir Robert Digby (d.1618), son of Sir George, and his son also named Robert (d.1642), who was created Lord Digby of Geashill in Ireland. The first of these two men was investigated for involvement in the famous Gunpowder Plot of 1605 after spending the final evening of the 4th November with his cousin Sir Everard Digby, who was later executed as one of the key conspirators. Sir Robert claimed to have no knowledge of the Plot and was ultimately given the benefit of the doubt.
Against the south wall is a pedestal and urn with an inscription to Kildare, Lord Digby (d.1661), son of the second Robert. This monument is a cenotaph rather than a tomb as Kildare was actually buried in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.