Ralph Fitzherbert

Ralph Fitzherbert
Alabaster memorial
Died	2 March 1483 Norbury, Derbyshire
Resting place	St Mary and St Barlock's Church, Norbury, Derbyshire
Nationality	English
Education	unknown
Title	Lord of Norbury
Successor	John Fitzherbert
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Marshall
Children	six sons including Anthony Fitzherbert
Parent(s)	Nicholas Fitzherbert and Alice Booth

Ralph Fitzherbert (died 1483) was Lord of the manor of Norbury, Derbyshire. His effigy in his suit of armour at Norbury church are reproduced in the Victoria and Albert Museum, in contemporary armour.

Fitzherbert was born to Nicholas Fitzherbert and his wife Alice. In 1442 Nicholas Fitzherbert and his son and heir, Ralph, gave all their lands at Osmaston and other lands at Foston and Church Broughton in exchange for Norbury. The Fitzherberts held it until 1872. Norbury had been rented by Fitzherberts ancestors since 1125 on a yearly rent of 100 shillings.

Fitzherbert married Elizabeth Marshall who was an heiress to Upton in Leicestershire. Elizabeth had a number of children: Margaret, Dorothy (who married Thomas Comberford), John (died 1531), Henry (died before 1532), Thomas (died 1532), Richard, William, and Anthony. So many of his sons died young, that it was his sixth son, Anthony, who eventually succeeded him as Lord of the manor of Norbury. The seven sons are shown as figures on the side of Ralph's memorial. They are not shown in the order of their birth. First is shown Richard, who became a knight of Rhodes, and then Thomas, who was the rector of Norbury from 1500 to 1518 and precentor of Lichfield Cathedral. The third figure is thought to be John, who was the heir and is thought to have commissioned the memorials for his parents and his grandfather in Nottingham Alabaster. The fourth to be shown is Henry, with a purse, who was a mercer (a cloth and textile dealer) in London. The final three are thought to include William, prebendary of Hereford Cathedral and Lincoln Cathedral and Chancellor of Lichfield as well as being rector of Wrington in Somerset, and Anthony, who was the most notable. Anthony and William were boys when their mother's will, dated 14 October 1490, was read. Under the terms of that will, John was required to pay five pounds a year to cover Anthony's studies. This investment led to him being a leading and eminent English judge.