The Mystery of the ‘Lost’ 1600s Wyles Tomb of Duddington
Author’s Note: From the spelling on the tomb inscription – it is clear that the name in question is spelt ‘DARIИGOLD’ – with a reverse ‘И’ replacing the standard capitalised ‘N’. This is significant as many people spell this name as ‘Daringold’ – using the standard small ‘n’. The assumption is that it does not matter which way the ‘N-И’ faces as the meaning is exactly the same and unchanged – but is this assumption correct? I find it interesting that the ‘И’ as written on the tomb below looks similar to the Roman numerals ‘VI’ – meaning ‘six’! ACW (25.9.2023)
As Daringold Wyles (nee ‘Crowe’) - spelt as 'DARIИGOLD’' with a reverse 'И' on the tomb - died in 1668, it is logical to assume that the Wyles Tomb (pictured in its original position above) in the grounds of St Mary’s Church (Duddington) dates from that time (although the patch of ground may have been purchased by the Wyles family concerned years previously). Daringold’s husband – the lawyer and ‘Gentleman’ Robert Wyles - died in 1682. Although this couple had at least three (3) children – James Wyles (husband to Joanne Jackson and father of John the elder), Sarah and Roberta – none of these relatives were buried in the tomb with their parents. There was not even a grandchild or any other relative laid to rest in the tomb at the time – which is unusual. However, around 149 years later, and with no apparent explanation, Ann Wyles (of Tixover Lodge) died in 1831 and her body was interred in the 1600s Wyles Tomb. In 1838, her son – George Wyles – passed away and his body was buried not in the 1600s Wyles Tomb, but rather under a flagstone inside the Church and immediately adjacent to the north door which then opened straight out onto the 1600s Wyles Tomb. (This grave was incorrectly recorded as ‘George Hyles’ by the 1984 Royal Commission). John Wyles (of Tixover Lodge) outlived his wife by 26 years, and his son by 19 years, before dying in 1857 and being laid to rest as the fourth (4th) occupant of the 1600s Wyles Tomb. Tixover is a small farming hamlet just over the medieval bridge in north Duddington, and records state that John and Ann Wyles owned all the buildings and employed numerous farm labourers and domestic servants. Although Tixover possesses its own Church – St Luke’s in the Field – it is interesting to observe that John and Ann Wyles chose to be buried in Duddington. Having visited St Luke’s in the Field, we found no Wyles graves outside or any Wyles inscriptions within the Church. (The local people now living there gave us the key to the Church only after they realized that I was a ‘Wyles’ descendent from Duddington). Furthermore, we have not been able to find out who John Wyles was actually related to, and are not sure that either he (or his wife Ann) had any direct family links to Robert and Daringold (as we do). Although a genealogical riddle, we accept John and Ann Wyles without any reservations. As John Wyles died in 1857, we know that the 1600s Wyles Tomb was still there, and that the Vestry had not yet been built.
As Daringold Wyles (nee ‘Crowe’) - spelt as 'DARIИGOLD’' with a reverse 'И' on the tomb - died in 1668, it is logical to assume that the Wyles Tomb (pictured in its original position above) in the grounds of St Mary’s Church (Duddington) dates from that time (although the patch of ground may have been purchased by the Wyles family concerned years previously). Daringold’s husband – the lawyer and ‘Gentleman’ Robert Wyles - died in 1682. Although this couple had at least three (3) children – James Wyles (husband to Joanne Jackson and father of John the elder), Sarah and Roberta – none of these relatives were buried in the tomb with their parents. There was not even a grandchild or any other relative laid to rest in the tomb at the time – which is unusual. However, around 149 years later, and with no apparent explanation, Ann Wyles (of Tixover Lodge) died in 1831 and her body was interred in the 1600s Wyles Tomb. In 1838, her son – George Wyles – passed away and his body was buried not in the 1600s Wyles Tomb, but rather under a flagstone inside the Church and immediately adjacent to the north door which then opened straight out onto the 1600s Wyles Tomb. (This grave was incorrectly recorded as ‘George Hyles’ by the 1984 Royal Commission). John Wyles (of Tixover Lodge) outlived his wife by 26 years, and his son by 19 years, before dying in 1857 and being laid to rest as the fourth (4th) occupant of the 1600s Wyles Tomb. Tixover is a small farming hamlet just over the medieval bridge in north Duddington, and records state that John and Ann Wyles owned all the buildings and employed numerous farm labourers and domestic servants. Although Tixover possesses its own Church – St Luke’s in the Field – it is interesting to observe that John and Ann Wyles chose to be buried in Duddington. Having visited St Luke’s in the Field, we found no Wyles graves outside or any Wyles inscriptions within the Church. (The local people now living there gave us the key to the Church only after they realized that I was a ‘Wyles’ descendent from Duddington). Furthermore, we have not been able to find out who John Wyles was actually related to, and are not sure that either he (or his wife Ann) had any direct family links to Robert and Daringold (as we do). Although a genealogical riddle, we accept John and Ann Wyles without any reservations. As John Wyles died in 1857, we know that the 1600s Wyles Tomb was still there, and that the Vestry had not yet been built.
At this time the graveyard could be directly accessed through the north door, with coffins being able to come into the Church through the south door and traversed through the nave and out into the graveyard through the north door. All this changed when the Vestry was built (which must have been after 1857 and the burial of John Wyles), although the exact date of its construction is not recorded. All the written sources simply state it is ‘modern’. I note that in 1806 and 1844-1849 the tower was strengthened. Whilst the east tie beam (in the nave) was repaired in 1872, at the same time that two large buttresses were added against the external west wall. In 1934, the Altar was redeveloped and restored (according to the literature available within the Church). What is known is that when the 1600s Wyles Tomb was ‘removed’ - as a form of compensation for this disruptive and destructive act – the Church Authorities had the names of the four (4) occupants engraved upon four (4) special stone panels or ‘plaques’, which constituted part of the foundation (laying just above ground level) of the ‘new’ east-facing Vestry wall (maintaining the Christian tradition of burials facing west (head) to east (feet). The Vestry wall inscriptions read:
Robert Wyles died the first of November 1682.
Daringold Wyles died the 17th of December 1668.
In memory of John Wyles died January 18 1857.
Ann wife of John Wyles died September 24 1832
These inscriptions seem to be ancient but they cannot be earlier that 1857, which is why I suspect the Vestry might have been built around 1872 – long enough ago for the date to be forgotten, but near enough to the present time to be considered ‘modern’. This means that the 1600s Wyles Tomb lasted just fifteen (15) years more from the death John Wyles (in 1857) to its removal in 1872. This is the Vestry today:
There is a surviving 1700s Wyles Tomb around 20 feet further east from the Vestry wall containing our direct relatives James and Catherine Wyles (as well as two other relatives). This has proven very popular with the visiting children due to the skull and cross-bones emblem engraved upon its east facing side:
1700s Wyles Tomb: Skull and cross-bones emblem facing the east - with four occupants.
Catherine Wyles died 15 June 1785 in the 82nd year of her age. James Wyles died 29 June 1785 in the 84th year of his age.
George Wyles died 27th August 1799 in the 18th year of his age. James Wyles died 21st June 1809 in the 74th year of his age.
What is the evidence that a 1600s Wyles Tomb existed where the Vestry stands today? This is a good question that needs to be answered. When we discovered the engraved panels in 2009, we could not understand what we were seeing. The panels appeared to be similar to what is seen in a mausoleum, where bodies are sealed within a wall, but this did not make sense, particularly as the panels are at ground level and easy to miss (we had visited the graveyard a number of times before the panels were spotted, and they are not mentioned in any Church literature or the 1984 Royal Commission on Duddington). We found evidence for the existence of Robert Wyles and Daringold Wyles in texts relating to Copy of the Court Rolls – a body of data relating to important Court decisions regarding the buying, selling and gifting of land (and buildings), as well as lending money, getting married and the confirmation of Wills, etc. This is where we found the Will of Robert Wyles, the maiden name of Daringold (i.e. ‘Crowe’), and date of the marriage of their son – James Wyles – to Joanne Jackson (i.e. ‘1668’ - the same year that Daringold died). At this point in our research we found no mention of the 1600s Wyles Tomb – but Robert and his father (also called ‘Robert’) were renowned lawyers from a long line of lawyers closely associated with Lord Burghley and nearby Burghley House. Indeed, as he lacked this kind of influence, it was only through ingratiating himself with the Wyles family of Duddington that Nicholas Jackson – a baker from Stamford – was able to slowly rent and purchase land property in the area from the early 1600s onwards. Being of such high-standing in the community, Robert and Daringold were just the type of people who possessed the insight and financial resources to purchase the land and pay for the construction of just such a tomb.
Catherine Wyles died 15 June 1785 in the 82nd year of her age. James Wyles died 29 June 1785 in the 84th year of his age.
George Wyles died 27th August 1799 in the 18th year of his age. James Wyles died 21st June 1809 in the 74th year of his age.
What is the evidence that a 1600s Wyles Tomb existed where the Vestry stands today? This is a good question that needs to be answered. When we discovered the engraved panels in 2009, we could not understand what we were seeing. The panels appeared to be similar to what is seen in a mausoleum, where bodies are sealed within a wall, but this did not make sense, particularly as the panels are at ground level and easy to miss (we had visited the graveyard a number of times before the panels were spotted, and they are not mentioned in any Church literature or the 1984 Royal Commission on Duddington). We found evidence for the existence of Robert Wyles and Daringold Wyles in texts relating to Copy of the Court Rolls – a body of data relating to important Court decisions regarding the buying, selling and gifting of land (and buildings), as well as lending money, getting married and the confirmation of Wills, etc. This is where we found the Will of Robert Wyles, the maiden name of Daringold (i.e. ‘Crowe’), and date of the marriage of their son – James Wyles – to Joanne Jackson (i.e. ‘1668’ - the same year that Daringold died). At this point in our research we found no mention of the 1600s Wyles Tomb – but Robert and his father (also called ‘Robert’) were renowned lawyers from a long line of lawyers closely associated with Lord Burghley and nearby Burghley House. Indeed, as he lacked this kind of influence, it was only through ingratiating himself with the Wyles family of Duddington that Nicholas Jackson – a baker from Stamford – was able to slowly rent and purchase land property in the area from the early 1600s onwards. Being of such high-standing in the community, Robert and Daringold were just the type of people who possessed the insight and financial resources to purchase the land and pay for the construction of just such a tomb.
The documentary evidence for the existence of the 1600s Wyles Tomb, however, is found in the later burial records for John and Ann Wyles – and their son - George. In the Church Burial Records for St Mary’s in the 1800s the following information is listed:
Burial No. 126: Ann Wyles (note in margin says ‘tomb by old door in North Aisle’ - wife of John Wyles Burial No. 325) - Tixover – Buried 27.9.1831- Aged 55 years old. (This date is different to that recorded on the Vestry wall of the 24.9.1832)
Burial No. 166: George Wyles (note in margin says ‘stone in F’ son of Burial No. 126 and 325) - Tixover – Buried 17.10.1838 - Aged 33 years old. (I.e. under the flagstone by the North Door inside the Church).
Burial No. 325: John Wyles (note in margin says husband of Burial No. 126) - by tomb in D – Tixover – Buried 22.1.1857 - Aged 79 years old.
Burial No. 126: Ann Wyles (note in margin says ‘tomb by old door in North Aisle’ - wife of John Wyles Burial No. 325) - Tixover – Buried 27.9.1831- Aged 55 years old. (This date is different to that recorded on the Vestry wall of the 24.9.1832)
Burial No. 166: George Wyles (note in margin says ‘stone in F’ son of Burial No. 126 and 325) - Tixover – Buried 17.10.1838 - Aged 33 years old. (I.e. under the flagstone by the North Door inside the Church).
Burial No. 325: John Wyles (note in margin says husband of Burial No. 126) - by tomb in D – Tixover – Buried 22.1.1857 - Aged 79 years old.
It is likely that the 1600s Wyles Tomb was simplistic and plain in design and not that much different to the 1700s Wyles Tomb, despite there being around 117 years between the construction of each. The further back we go, the more simplistic the earlier graves appear to be, whilst in the 1800s graves (and tombs) became ever more elaborate. Although there are definitely exceptions to these observations, it could be that the Wyles family preferred a certain type of tomb and that the 1700s version was modelled on the earlier 1600s structure – perhaps to denote that the Wyles family (unlike the Jackson family) had been living in the area for a far longer time. Whilst the Wyles family-built tombs, the Jackson family focused upon engraving their names on the interior stone-work of the Church (although theirs are by no means the only names recorded). George Wyles (1838) is buried under a flagstone – with four (4) other flagstone grave-markers unable to be read. The habit of engraving names on the interior stone-work of a Church appears to date from around the 1660s onwards and was unknown prior to this date. It would be interesting to see if there are any inscriptions on the floor inside the Vestry, but this area of the Church is always locked.