Historical Description of Westminster Abbey, Its Monuments and Curiosities

by Anonymous

One of the windows in the north aisle of the nave of Westminster Abbey has recently been filled with stained glass in memory of the late Mr. Brunel. Along the bottom of the window (which consists of two lights, each 23 feet 6 inches high, and 4 feet wide, surmounted by a quatrefoil opening, 6 feet 6 inches across) is the inscription, “In memory of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Civil Engineer. Born April 9, 1806. Died September 15, 1859.” Over this are four allegorical figures (two in each light): Fortitude, Justice, Faith, and Charity. The upper part of the window consists of six panels, divided by a pattern-work of lilies and pomegranates. The panels contain subjects from the history of the Temple. The three subjects in the western light represent scenes from the Old Testament: viz., the Dedication of the Temple by Solomon, the Finding of the Book of the Law by Hilkiah, and the Laying the Foundations of the Second Temple. The subjects in the eastern light are from the New Testament: viz., Simeon Blessing the Infant Saviour, Christ Disputing with the Doctors, and the Disciples pointing out to Christ the Buildings of the Temple. In the heads of the lights are angels kneeling, and in the quatrefoil is a representation of Our Lord in Glory, surrounded by angels. The work was placed in the hands of Mr. R. Norman Shaw, of the firm of Nesfield & Shaw, Architects, who prepared the general design, arranged the scale of the various figures, and designed the ornamental pattern work. The figure subjects were drawn by Mr. Henry Holyday, and the whole design was executed in glass by Messrs. Heaton, Butler, & Bayne, of Garrick Street, Covent Garden.

“To the memory of William Levinz, Esq., grandson of Sir Cresswell Levinz, Knt., who was Attorney-General in the reign of Charles II., and afterwards one of the Justices of Common Pleas, from which station he was displaced in the reign of James II. for opposing the dispensing power, and was one of the counsel for the seven Bishops. William Levinz, the son of Sir Cresswell, represented the county of Nottingham in Parliament, as did his son, William Levinz, till the year 1747, when he was appointed a Commissioner of his Majesty’s Customs, and in 1763, Receiver-General of the said revenue, in which office he died, the 17th of August, 1765, aged fifty-two years.”—R. Hayward, sculptor.

Heneage Twysden.—This monument is to the memory of a young hero slain in the battle of Blarignies, in Hainault, while Aid-de-Camp to John, Duke of Argyle, who commanded the right wing of the confederate army. He was the seventh son of Sir William Twysden, Bart., a youth of the greatest expectations, had not the fortune of war put an early stop to his rising merit, in the twenty-ninth year of his age, 1709. Above this are two small monuments to the memory of two of his brothers, Josiah and John. Josiah was a Captain at the siege of Agremont, in Flanders, and slain by a cannon shot, in 1708, aged twenty-three. John was a Lieutenant in the Admiral’s ship under Sir Cloudesly Shovel, and perished with him in 1707, aged twenty-four.

John Woodward, M.D.—This is an elegant monument, and the figures most admirably finished. The head of the deceased (who was Professor of Physic in Gresham College) in profile, is very masterly, and the lady that holds it inimitable. The inscription is a kind of panegyric upon the great parts and learning of the deceased, which entitled him to the distinction he received. He died in May, 1728, aged sixty-three.—Scheemakers, sculptor.

Martha Price.—This monument is ornamented with festoons of fruit, flowers, and foliage, and the inscription shows that she was the wife of Gervase Price, Esq., who served Charles II. in the double capacity of Sergeant-Trumpeter and Gentleman of the Bows. She died April 7, 1678.

Above is a monument to the memories of Captains Hervey and Hutt, who were engaged in the naval action under Lord Howe. It is principally composed of two colossal figures, Britannia and Fame, placed one on each side a large vase, on which are portraits of the deceased Captains. Britannia is decorating the vase with laurel, while Fame is pointing to the names of the heroes engraven on the base which supports the vase.—Bacon, jun., sculptor.

Beneath is the effigy of Anne, Countess Dowager of Clanrickard, resting upon a tomb, and under it is the following inscription:—“Here lies the Right Honourable Anne, Countess Dowager of Clanrickard, eldest daughter of John Smith, Esq., who is interred near this place. She married first, Hugh Parker, Esq., eldest son of Sir Henry Parker, of Honington, in the county of Warwick, Bart., by whom she had the present Sir Henry John Parker, Bart., three other sons, and three daughters. By her second husband, Michael, Earl of Clanrickard, of the kingdom of Ireland, the head of the ancient and noble family of the Burkes, she had Smith, now Earl of Clanrickard, and two daughters, Lady Anne and Lady Mary. She died January 1, 1732, in her forty-ninth year.”

General Lawrence.—This monument was erected at the expense of the East India Company, in memory of the man who, by the conquest of Pondicherry, and the defence of Tritchinopoly, reduced the power of the French in the East, and paved the way for one of the richest empires that ever a trading people aspired to command, which, however, was in the year 1783, in so lamentable a situation, wasted by war, and oppressed by European plunderers, that, from being one of the richest countries in the world, it became the most deplorable. On the top is an admirable bust of the General, to which the genius of the Company is pointing, while Fame is declaring his noble exploits, at the same time holding in her hand a shield, on which is written:—“For discipline established, fortresses protected, settlements extended, French and Indian armies defeated, and peace concluded in the Carnatic.” Close under the bust is written: “Born March 6, 1697; died January 10, 1775.” On a table of beautiful marble in relief, is represented the siege of a great city, and under it is the word Tritchinopoly.—Tayler, sculptor.

Up high is a tablet to Colonel John Davis, President of the Council of the Island of St. Christopher, who died December 13, 1725, aged sixty-three.

Penelope Egerton.—The lady for whom this monument was erected, was daughter of Robert, Lord Nedham, Viscount Kilmurray, and wife of Randolph Egerton, of Bentley, in Cheshire, an eminent Loyalist, Major-General of Horse to Charles I., and Lieutenant-Colonel to Charles II.’s own troop of Guards. She died in child-bed, April 13, 1670.