Mural monument to Richard Berkeley (1579–1661), MP, St Michael's Church, Stoke Gifford, Gloucestershire. He married Mary Roe (1579-1615), a daughter of Robert Roe, Esq., of the City of London. He survived his wife by 46 years. Monument erected by their youngest and only surviving son Robert Berkeley. (Per inscription on top brass tablet).

The bottom brass tablet is in memory of Henry Berkeley, Esq. (1559-1607) (father of the above Richard Berkeley (1579–1661)), son and heir of Sir Richard Berkeley (1531–1604) of Stoke Gifford. Henry Berkeley, Esq. (1559-1606/7) married Muriel Throckmorton, a daughter of Thomas Throgmorton, Esq. (1534-1615), of Coughton Court, Warwickshire, twice MP for Warwickshire (in 1558 and 1559) eldest son and heir of Sir Robert Throckmorton (d.1581) of Coughton by his wife Muriel Berkeley, a daughter of Thomas Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley (Source: History of Parliament biography of "THROCKMORTON, Thomas (1534-1615), of Coughton, Warws. and Weston Underwood, Bucks"[1]). Henry Berkeley, Esq. (1559-1607) had three surviving children: Richard Berkeley (1579–1661), of Stoke Gifford and Berkeley Plantation, MP; Elizabeth Berkeley; Margaret Berkeley (wife of John Tomlism of Bristol). (Per inscription on bottom brass tablet; also per www.tudorplace.com[2]). The brass tablets appear not to be in their original positions, or possibly are not original, as the lower one refers to an earlier member of the family than the top tablet.

Genealogy

The Berkeley family of Stoke Gifford was descended from Maurice de Berkeley (d.1347), killed at the Siege of Calais, who had acquired the manor of Stoke Gifford in 1337, the second son of w:Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley (1271–1326) of w:Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire.

• Sir John Berkeley (d. 1546) of Stoke Gifford, Gloucestershire, married Isabel Denys, a daughter of Sir William Denys (d. 1535) of Dyrham, Gloucestershire, by Anne Berkeley, daughter of Maurice Berkeley, de jure 3rd Baron Berkeley (1436–1506). His son and heir was:
  • Sir Richard Berkeley (1531 – 1604) of Stoke Gifford, Gloucestershire, MP for Gloucestershire in 1604, Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1564, and Deputy Lieutenant of Gloucestershire. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1568. In 1595 he was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London. In 1553, aged just 22 just after coming out of wardship and gaining possession of his inheritance, he rebuilt the manor house at Stoke Gifford. His effigy is in the Gaunts Chapel, Bristol. Sir Richard Berkeley married firstly Elizabeth Read, daughter of William Read of Milton (or Mitton^[1]), Esq., by whom he had issue:
    • Henry Berkeley (died 1606), of Stoke Gifford, who married Mary (or Mirryell) Throckmorton, daughter of Thomas Throckmorton of w:Coughton Court, Warwickshire. He was father of
      • Richard Berkeley (1579–1661), MP, mural monument in St Michael's Church, Stoke Gifford, Gloucestershire. His youngest and only surviving son was:
        • Robert Berkeley.

Heraldry

• Top: Gules, a chevron ermine between ten crosses pattée argent (Berkeley of Bruton Abbey, Somerset) quartering Or, a saltire engrailed sable (Botetourt), with crest above: A bishop's mitre (Berkeley).
• Top cornice:

• Left: Berkeley
• Centre: Berkeley impaling Gules, a quatrefoil or (Roe of London)
• Right: Gules, a quatrefoil or (Roe of the City of London) (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.866 "Roe of Higham Hall, Essex & Muswell Hill, Middlesex")

• Mid-cornice:

• Left: Berkeley
• Right: Berkeley impaling Gules, a chevron argent (?)

Top inscription

To Richard Berkeley, Esqr, and Mary his wife (daughter of Robert Roe of London, Esqr) deare father and mother, a clue to their love, of whom Robert Berkeley their youngest son and only now living hath sett up this remembrance of them. Shee when shee had passed neare 36 yeres in the exercise of religioues and morall duties and they boathe had lived together almost halfe a yeare upwards of 17 (without knoweing the other 2 whose comforts they envyed) died the 24th of July in the yeare of our Lord 1615. He lived upwards of 46 yeres after and dyed in the 83d yere of his age the 12th day of May 1661. Theire soules are in Heaven theire bodies lye here. Here hee layd hers and here when death should divide him his will was his bodie should be laid, trusting in God's mercy his soule should soone be with hers, and theire bodies in the meanetime lyinge here together, together from thence at our Saviour's call should arise for ever after bodies and soules to enjoy the all happying vision

Bottom inscription