A noble colossal bronze statue of the Duke (who died in 1833), the figure being sixteen feet in height, and placed on a lofty column on Tittensor Hill (called “Monument Hill”), forms a conspicuous object against the sky from the house and gardens of Trentham. It is one of Chantrey’s masterpieces of Art. The column, base, and steps were designed by Barry. The entire height is fifty-nine feet, including the figure. It bears the following appropriate inscription:—
IN LASTING MEMORIAL OF
GEORGE GRANVILLE,
DUKE OF SUTHERLAND, MARQUIS OF STAFFORD, K.G.
AN UPRIGHT AND PATRIOTIC NOBLEMAN,
A JUDICIOUS, KIND, AND LIBERAL LANDLORD;
WHO IDENTIFIED THE IMPROVEMENT OF HIS VAST ESTATES WITH
THE PROSPERITY OF ALL WHO CULTIVATED THEM;
A PUBLIC YET UNOSTENTATIOUS BENEFACTOR,
WHO, WHILE HE PROVIDED USEFUL EMPLOYMENT
FOR THE ACTIVE LABOURER,
OPENED WIDE HIS HAND TO THE DISTRESSES OF THE WIDOW
THE SICK, AND THE TRAVELLER;
A MOURNING AND GRATEFUL TENANTRY,
UNITING WITH THE INHABITANTS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD,
ERECTED THIS PILLAR A.D. MDCCCXXXIV.
George Granville Leveson-Gower, second Duke of Sutherland, was called to the Upper House during his father’s lifetime as Baron Gower. He was born in 1786, and married, in 1823, the Lady Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Howard, daughter of the Earl of Carlisle. By this happy union his grace had issue four sons and seven daughters. Among these were—the present Duke of Sutherland, of whom more presently; Lord Albert Sutherland Leveson-Gower, who married, in 1872, a daughter of Sir Thomas Nevill Abdy, Bart., and died in 1874, leaving issue one infant; Lord Ronald Charles Leveson-Gower, late M.P. for Sutherland; Lady Elizabeth Georgiana, married, in 1844, to the present Duke of Argyll, and is mother of the Marquis of Lorne; Lady Evelyn, married to Lord Blantyre; Lady Caroline, married to the Duke of Leinster; and Lady Constance Gertrude, married to the present Duke of Westminster. His Grace the Duke of Sutherland died in 1861, aged seventy-four, and was buried in the Mausoleum at Trentham. He was a man of liberal, kindly, gentle, and benevolent disposition, and was beloved by people of every class; indeed, such was the affectionate attachment of his tenants, that after his death they erected statues to his memory on most of his estates.
Monument of Harriet, Duchess of Sutherland, Trentham Church.
The Duchess, whose refined taste, attachment to Art, amiability of disposition, winning manners, and energetic character were beyond praise, died in 1868, and was also buried in the mausoleum at Trentham. She was Mistress of the Robes to the Queen, by whom she was esteemed as a beloved friend. To her pure taste Trentham owes many of its most attractive features, and had she lived to carry out the full bent of her inclination, much more would have been accomplished. A chastely beautiful altar-tomb, with a recumbent effigy of the Duchess, by Noble, has been erected in Trentham Church, and is one of the highest and purest achievements of sculptural Art. “Recurring to the monument in Trentham Church,” says the Rev. Prebendary Edwards, “it tells us, though in silence, of a rare combination of affection, thought, and artistic skill in all who have been engaged upon it. It could not have been confided to better hands than Mr. Noble’s, who, as sculptor, has had his heart in his work. Resting in calm and the deepest repose, as between life and death, the figure recalls with wonderful truth the beauty of feature and gentleness of expression of her whom it represents.” The monument is placed at the east end of the south aisle, and the sculptor has been happy in finding a spot for his marble where the light of a south window falls on the countenance of the figure on the tomb beneath. The floor is laid with encaustic tiles, bearing the arms of the family and the initials of the deceased. The monument contains the following inscription, written by Mr. Gladstone:—
HENRIETTÆ DUCISSÆ DE SUTHERLAND
FIDO MARMORE DESCRIPTA EFFIGIES
EJUS CARISSIMA IMAGO
NUNQUAM NON VIDEBITUR INTER SUOS MORARI
QUIPPE QUÆ ET MULTUM ET A MULTIS AMATA
HAUD SCIAS AN NON MAGIS IPSA AMAVERIT
EGREGIA MENTIS ET FORMÆ DOTIBUS
GNATA SOROR UXOR MATER PARENS
ABSOLUTISSIMA
HABUIT INSUPER E CORDIS BENEVOLENTIA
QUOD IN AMICOS LARGE DIMANARET
DULCEDINUM ET DELICIARUM OMNIA
QUEIS FRUI DATUM EST HOMINIBUS
ILLI CARPERE DIUTIUS LICUIT
ILLI QUOD RIRIUS CIRCA SE DIFFUNDERE
SUB EXTREMUM VITÆ SPATIUM
ETIAM IN DOLORIBUS SPECTATA
NUSQUAM MEDIOCREM SE PRÆBUIT
DENIQUE DEI OPT. MAX. CONSILIUM LIBENTER AMPLEXA
ET USQUE AD FINEM SINE MOLLITIE TENERRIMA
TRANQUILLE IN CHRISTO OBDORMIVIT
LONDONI XXVII DIE OCTOBRIS
ANNO REDEMPTORIS MDCCCLXVIII
Besides this and other inscriptions, at the head of the tomb we read—
IN TE MISERICORDIÆ IN TE PIETADE
IN TE BENEFICENZA IN TE S’ADUNDA
QUANTUNQUE IN CREATURA É DI BONTADE;