The chapel was built as an addition to the church in 1605 by William, Earl of Banbury (1547–1632), as a monument to his parents, Sir Francis (1514-1596) and Lady Katherine Knollys (c.1524 –1569) of Greys Court. The tomb displays the reclining effigies of Sir Francis and Lady Knollys. Sir Francis, in dress armour, rests on an elaborate tasselled pillow and Lady Knollys, wearing black with a white headdress rests on two pillows. At their feet lie respectively a plaster elephant and a wooden swan. To the right of Lady Knollys lies the effigy of a stillborn child. As “weepers”, seven sons kneel at the base of the tomb and are matched on the other side by seven sisters. The eldest daughter wears the coronet and robes of a countess. She was married first to Walter, Earl of Essex and secondly to Robert, Earl of Leicester.
Sir Francis (who married Katherine [nee Carey] in 1539) was one of the Queen's most intimate councillors and was Treasurer of the Royal Household from 1572-1596. He was a staunch Protestant and was sent by Elizabeth to attend Mary, Queen of Scots in her captivity. He became great friends with Mary but always remained loyal to his Queen
The monument is of squarish proportions, built on an alabaster base above grey limestone slabs. The sepulchre is of alabaster, bearing on its east end the arms and supporters of Knollys and two shields, and on the west a brass plaque and two more shields. Six columns (four in grey limestone, two in pinkish veined marble), together with three square alabaster pillars (decorated with gilded displays of arms, repeating bell-flowers, two winged death’s heads and two cherubs), support a huge panelled ceiling with pendant roses and gilded flowers. The cornice bears more winged cherubs. The original paint and gilding survives largely intact throughout.
William, who was the second but eldest surviving son is to be seen opposite his wife in ermine-lined robes and coronets kneeling at the prie-dieu on the canopy. On each corner is an urn with gilded lead flambeaux and a draped standing cherub. There are six shields around the dais.
Although Lady Knollys is shown under the canopy beside Sir Francis she died at Hampton Coourt Palace, while in attendance on Queen Elizabeth I (whilst Sir Francis was guarding Mary Queen of Scots at Bolton Castle) and was buried the following April, at Royal expense, in St. Edmund's |Chapel in Westminster Abbey. Lady Knollys was chief Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen who was her first cousin since their mothers, Mary and Anne Boleyn, were sisters.
A Latin dictionary once owned by Sir Francis Knollys has come to light containing his records of his marriage to Katherine Carey, daughter of Mary Boleyn, and the births of their fourteen children. These previously unpublished details strengthen the argument that Katherine was an illegitimate child of Henry VIII, born during his affair with Anne Boleyn's sister. Sir Francis's handwritten notes also reveal his wife's remarkably successful series of pregnancies; and the birth date of his daughter Lettice – branded a 'she-wolf' by Elizabeth I – who turns out to be younger than is usually claimed when she married Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. The Knollys family continued to live at Greys Court until 1686.
THE STAPLETON MEMORIALS
In 1724 Greys Court became the seat of Sir William Stapleton Bt (the baronetcy was created in 1679) through his marriage to Catherine Paul whose Grandfather had purchased it from Lettice Kennedy, nee Knollys, in 1688. It was to remain in their family until 1935. Several Stapleton members of this family, whose memorials are on the walls, lie in the crypt beneath the Knollys tomb, together with members of the Knollys family and the last Stapleton memorial allowed by the diocese marks the end of the direct line of the Stapleton family of Greys Court.
THE CHAPEL
The floor of the chapel retains its original tiles and the west and east facing windows (restored in 1999) have small inset fragments of early stained glass - the only pre C19th glass in the church. Considerable restoration work to the fabric of the chapel building both externally and internally was completed during the summer and autumn of 2006.
In 1953 the iron screen between the chapel and the chancel was designed by Mr. Surman and crafted by Mr. William Barrett B.E.M. in his forge on Greys Green, now a private residence.