The Hilileigh graves at Hartshead

At the end of the 1390s a branch of the Yorkshire Hileys moved from Sowerby to Clifton, a village about 10 miles east near Brighouse. The family became prominent in the village. A number of Hiley baptisms, marriages and burials are recorded in the parish records of St Peter's Church in Hartshead, a short distance away.

St Peter's Church in Hartshead

In the well-kept graveyard are three Hilileigh graves. These are likely to be descendants of the first family members to arrive from Sowerby.

The 3 Hilileigh graves at Hartshead

In the middle grave were buried (both in 1628) Jennet Hilileigh and her son Thomas. Jennet was the wife of John Hilileigh, buried in the right hand grave in 1614.

Grave of Jennet and Thomas Hilileigh

HERE LYETH THE BODIES
OF JENNET HILILEIGHE
WIFE OF JOHN HILILEIGH
WHICH WAS BURIED THE
28 OF APRILL 1628 AND
THOMAS HILILEIGH THEIR
SONNE WHO WAS BURIED
THE 24 OF FEBRUARY
ANNO DOMINI 1628







Buried in the left hand grave was Robert Hilileigh. Robert was a great grandson of John and Jennet and died aged 15 in 1683.

Grave of Robert Hilileigh

The wording on the gravestones of Robert and John is in Latin. Robert's inscription and a translation are given below.

SUB HOC TUMULO TE                                                            Beneath this mound is covered
GITER CORPUS ROBERTI                                                      The body of Robert
HILILEIGH FILII THOMAE                                                    Hilileigh son of Thomas
HILILEIGH DE CLIFTON QUI                                                Hilileigh of Clifton who
OBIIT SEPTIMO DIE                                                                 Died the 7th day 
JANUARII ANNO DOMINI 1683                                            Of January 1683
ANNO AETATIS 15                                                                     At the age of 15