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These three remarkable monuments by Henry Cheere each deserve a post of their own.
This post is a series of notes and the subject of Cheere's monuments will need a more thorough investigation.
All three monuments are notable for the extremely fine quality of the carving, the excellence of the design and the use of the rare and expensive veneers of Sicilian Jaspar and Brocatella marbles.
All photographs taken by the Author.
Cheeres workshops were in Westminster - his residence was in old Palace Yard - it is not yet clear to me whether he had separate workshops at Millbank - only a couple of hundred yards away - but the closeness to the Wharfs of the marble importers - the Wallingers, Chapman Birds and latterly the Del Medicos which gave easy access to the exotic marbles that were a feature of his monuments.
The Monument to Dean Thomas Cheyne (d.1760) in Winchester Cathedral,
the monument to Jane First Lady Rodney (d. 1757) at Old Alresford, Hants.
and the Newman Family Monument in the Newman Chapel at Fifehead Magdalen, North Dorset.
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1. Monument to Dean Thomas Cheyne (d 1760).
Designed by Henry Cheere.
Winchester Cathedral.
Photographed by the Author.
This is one of a group of monuments of similar design from the Westminster workshop of Henry Cheere.
For the shear exuberance of the carving and the use of the coloured marble there is little to equal it.
The full flowering of the Rococo in a Church Monument.
The monument to Katherine Lewis at Chalgrove, Oxfordshire of 1766, although not as ornate has a similar conformation with the two seated figures and a background veneered with Sicilian Jaspar.
(see the rather poor image below - to be updated when the opportunity arises).
The Wyntle monument at Merton College Chapel whilst less exuberant also uses the same basic conformation with the two mourning female figures either side of the sarcophagus. It also features the Pheonix rising from the flames at the top.
but very much influenced by the monument to Katherine Bovey in Westminster Abbey - designed by James Gibbs and sculpted by Michael Rysbrack. 1727.
The Iconography on the central relief here should be compared with the Roubiliac Monument to Mary Myddleton (1688 - 1747) at Wrexham. With the broken pyramid and the figure rising from the sarcophagus at the last trump.
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The Monument to Lucy Skipwith.
St. Wilfred's Church, Metheringham. Lincolnshire
A few miles south of Lincoln.
1763.
This monument has direct parallels with that of John Yate at St Mary the Virgin at Arlingham, Glouc.
in particular the relief of Hope which follows the duplicates the design.
see my recent post -
Image and info from
I cannot recommend this website highly enough to anyone interested in locating monuments in Lincolnshire - if only every county had such a resource
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The Monument to Katherine Villiers Lewis (1724 - 13 April 1756).
Wife of the Rev John Lewis from 1755 Dean of Ossory in Ireland.
1756.
Daughter of the Rev. George Villiers (1690 - 1748) vicar of Chalgrove he inherited the title of Earl of Buckingham but never used it.
They married 7 Nov 1747 at St Margaret's Westminster.
Mar. Lie. Pac. , 26 Oct. 1747 for John Lewis, of Dartford, Kent.
Clerk. and Catherine Villiers, of St Margaret's, Westminster, both single and aged above
21.—He was elected to Oxford from St. Peter's College. Westminster, and matriculated from
Christ Church 12 June 1734,' 17, as son of John of London. Esq., and was B.A.24 API. M.A.
1740-1.
He became Rector of Dartford, Kent. ib 1747. but resigned in
1755, and was instituted Dean of Ossory, in Ireland, 24 May in the latter year. He married a
second wife, and died 28 June 1783.
The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin,
Chalgrove, Oxfordshire:
Of tangential interest - the Wall paintings at Chalgrove - this monument obscures part of some very interesting 14th century wall paintings.
https://www.oxoniensia.org/volumes/2009/oakes.pdf
https://chalgrovechurch.org/visiting/heritage/
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The Wyntle Monument.
1750.
Merton College.
University of Oxford.
A slightly more restrained version of the design of the monuments above from the workshop of Henry Cheere.
Robert Wyntle was Warden at Merton College - 1734 - 50.
Anne Wyntle was most likely born in Gloucester, where her brother was born
in 1683. She died in August 1746 and was buried in the north transept of the
chapel, her life marked by a monument on the west wall, among the most
sensitive in the chapel. Her defining characteristic: that she was “the best of
sisters” (sorori optimae).
The registration of her burial was overlooked at the
time and was only inserted later into the register, between the entries for
Jane Sherwood in 1745 and that of her brother Robert in August 1750 (see below).
https://www.merton.ox.ac.uk/library-and-archives/exhibitions/merton-women-since-1264/in-the-wardens-lodgings
Illustration from The Gentleman's Magazine, December 1789.
This would suggest that the monument never had the elaborate surrounds on the two similar monuments illustrated above.
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The Monument to Jane Rodney nee Compton. (1730 - 57).
Wife of George Bridges Rodney (1718 - 92). Rear Admiral of the Blue.
She died in childbirth, aged 27 leaving two young sons.
St Mary's Church. Old Alresford. Hampshire.
For an useful short biography of the family see -
This was a very difficult monument to photograph - the light was very low and I had no access to stepladders etc.
The monument is very dirty - I would advise a gentle wash with a little dilute Fairy Liquid.
I suspect that the staining of the bust has been caused by a liberal application of bird or bat poo in the past.
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The Westminster Abbey Monument to Katherine Bovey.
Michael Rysbrack designed by James Gibbs.
A Book of Architecture, containing Designs of Buildings and Ornaments. By James Gibbs pub. 1728.
p. 115.
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The Monument to Sir Richard Newman and his family.
c.1750.
This monument (and in particular the portrait busts) deserves a post to itself and I will return to it in the future.
Designed by Henry Cheere.
St Mary Magdalen Parish Church, Fifehead Magdalen. North Dorset.
As in most of my posts regarding Henry Cheere - I have to voice my suspicions that Henry Cheere whilst a very good designer and consummate business man, not to say social climber, was not the actual sculptor of many of the works that are attributed to him but employed a large workshop in Palace Yard, Westminster and also subcontracted much of the work - it appears that Thomas and Benjamin Carter provided much of the decorative elements of his chimneypieces.
Am I doing Henry Cheere a disservice - was he a great portrait sculptor as well as a designer of funeral monuments and architectural features? - As I put more time into the works particularly the monuments the picture should become clearer research continues!
The Biographical Dictionary of British Sculptors... pub Yale 2009.
In my opinion the three busts were carved by a different hand to the reliefs which don't quite exhibit the same degree of skill.
The Monument was restored by Sally Strachey Historic Conservation.
Sally Strachey's report states -
"The inscription was originally carved with the dates of the
daughters’ deaths empty. These were then carved in as each one passed away. In total there are four letter
cutters hands at work here. With the letter cutting being light, the monument was in place when this was done"
For an in depth report on this monument see -
This is the last and by far the grandest of the Newman monuments in the Newman chapel which was installed around 1750 to commemorate Sir Richard Newman (1676 - 1721) and family -
his wife Frances (nee Samwell: d. 1730).
his son Sir Samwell Newman
(b.c1696 -1747) who never married and died intestate.
and his three daughters: Frances (d. 1775), Barbara
(d. 1763) and Elizabeth (d. 1774).
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Sir Richard Newman, 1st Baronet MP. JP. DL. (c. 1675-1721), of
Evercreech Park, was MP for Milborne Port in 1701.
Sir Richard Newman Bt (d.1721) was the eldest son of Richard Newman (d.1695) of Evercreech Park and Fifehead. He was educated at Sherborne, and Pembroke
College, Oxford.
http://newman-family-tree.net/Col-Richard-Newman-of-Fifehead.html
On 1 June 1696 Sir Richard Newman married Frances, daughter
of Sir Thomas Samwell, 1st Bt, and had three sons and four daughters.
The Newman Chapel dates back to around 1693 when it, and the vault
below, were built by Richard Newman (1620 - 1695).
The vault below
the chapel is believed to contain the remains of several members
of the Newman family who lived in the long-demolished Fifehead Manor that was situated next door to the church.
Richard's
father Richard (1584-1664) and his grandfather Thomas (c.1560-1649), are memorialised on the chapel's east wall, while his son
Richard (1650-1682) is memorialised on the west wall.
On the north
wall of the Newman Chapel is the magnificent monument designed Henry Cheere, and made in his Westminster workshop c. 1750.
It commemorates Richard's grandson Sir Richard Newman Bart. (1675-1721), his wife Frances and their four children.
Richard Newman is said to have taken the rank of Colonel
during the English Civil War and to have assisted King Charles Il
to escape capture by Cromwell's soldiers after the Battle of Worcester
in 1651, however no evidence supporting either legend has been found.
Richard Newman purchased
the freehold of the Fifehead estate following the restoration of King Charles in 1660, perhaps
with money received from the King as a reward for service.
Hitherto the estate had been leased
through four generations of Newmans from the Abbey of St Augustine's of Bristol over the preceding
130 years; the families connection with the village goes back much further, to a John Newman who was
Rector of Fifehead from 1405 to 1408.
It is odd that the chapel's builder, Richard (1620-1695), has
no memorial in his chapel.
Some 50 years after his death, Sir Henry Cheere's grand monument was
installed on the north wall, and it has been suggested that it replaced a previous monument.
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The Newman Family History.
For an invaluable website detailing the history of the Newmans see - http://www.newman-family-tree.net/
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The Newmans in Old Palace Yard Westminster.
Henry Cheere it is believed owned a house next door to the Newman family in Old Palace Yard, Westminster and knew them well, and therefor their busts might represent accurate likenesses.
If this information is correct this house was probably taken and replaced with the Office of Ordnance put up in 1780 and removed in 1805.
There are three references to Newman properties in Westminster.
Sir William Honeywood was son-in-law to
Richard Newman of Fifehead (1620-1695).
The History of Parliament's website
describes Sir William as "m. 15 July 1675, Anna Christiana (d. 1736), da.
of Richard Newman of Tothill Street, Westminster and Fifehead Magdalen,
Dorset". This is the only reference that places Richard in
Tothill Street. Perhaps it has the name wrong and Tothill Street should read
Tufton Street.
Richard Newman of Evercreech Park 1650 -
1682, left a will in which he stated that he will "give unto my wife Mrs
Grace Newman my House in Tufton street in the City of Westminster".
His father Richard Newman 1620-1695 left a later will
saying: "I give and bequeath unto the said Sir William Honeywood and Peter
Walter and to their Executors Administrators and Assigns for and during the
remainder of my tenure therein All? those? my four Messuages or Tenements with
their appurtenances situated in Tufton Street in the Parish of St Margaret
Westminster? in the several occupations of myself, Francis Holles Newman my
son, Edward Scott my Son in Law and heretofore of one Mrs Corfe". It went
on to say "I give and bequeath unto my said daughter in law Mrs Grace
Newman the house wherein she now dwells situate in Tufton Street
aforesaid".
It appears from these extracts that the family possessed four
(or even five) messuages or dwellings in Tufton Street.
Raymond Mercier also reported that Richard Newman 1620-1695
had a dwelling in Tufton Street which was probably inherited by his son. It may
also have been owned by his father Richard Newman of Fifehead d.1664 since it
appears to be he that is described in the purchase contract for Evercreech Park
as Richard Newman of the City of Westminster. [My own view is that it was
Richard (1620-1695) that purchased Evercreech Park, but I may be wrong. CJEN
2023]
Old Palace Yard:- In an Act of Parliament drawn up in 1754
to empower a committee of the estate of Elizabeth Kitchen to make leases during
her lunacy, mentions the four children of Sir Richard Newman of Evercreech,
viz: Sir Samwell, Frances, Barbara and Elizabeth, living in a tenement at the
Old Palace Yard, Westminster.
The Act describes the dwelling in quite
disparaging terms: "Freehold Messuage or Tenement, in the said Parish of
Saint Margaret, Westminster, is in such a decayed and ruinous State and Condition,
that it will be absolutely necessary to pull down, rebuild, or substantially
repair, the same: But it is apprehended, that no Person will take a Lease
thereof, for the Purpose aforesaid, without having a long Term of Years granted
of the said Premises."
Before the recent restoration, it was clear that the dates of the
deaths of Sir Richard's three daughters were painted on? (inscribed) after the monument's completion whereas Sir Samwell's death in 1747 was recorded in the original text. It can therefore be
deduced that the memorial was commissioned by one or all of the
daughters sometime after the death of Samwell in 1747 and before Barbara's death in 1763.
The inscription was carved by a letter cutter who was not aware of the correct spelling of Samwell Newman.
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The Monument was erected after the death of Samwell Newman in 1747.
There seems to have been some confusion as to the identity of the male busts.
The Bust of Richard Newman (d. 1721) presumably the right hand bust.
The Bust of Samwell Newman (d. 1747) presumably the bust at the apex of the monument.
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The Bust of Frances Newman nee Samwell: d. 1730).
Wife of Sir Richard Newman (1676 - 1721).
Perhaps the most impressive of the three busts - most likely carved posthumously using a portrait.
I find the temptation here is to ascribe the work to Roubiliac - probably the sculptor most adept at recreating a posthumous but very lifelike portrait. He was particularly good at creating busts of older sitters with out any idealisation.
As I have already pointed out I might be doing Henry Cheere a disservice but it is odd that no signed or inscribed bust by Henry Cheere has come to light so far.
Hopefully my photographs will go some way to illustrate the subtleties of this very beautiful bust.
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Whilst obviously very competent pieces of sculpture, particularly in the carving of the dress, it is currently my belief that these three reliefs are by a different sculptor to that of the busts and were added later.
I would suggest that the three busts were perhaps sculpted by a different and rather more accomplished hand to that of the three reliefs.
The three portrait reliefs are very unusual in that they depict the three daughters who did not die until some time after the making of the monument.
A Perhaps Related Design.
The detailing particularly that of the apron is typical of the workshop of John Cheere.
Victoria and Albert Museum.
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The Restoration of the Newman Monument.
Carried out in 2018.
For the excellent and comprehensive reports by Sally Strachey Historic Conservation see
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The Mural Monument to Richard Newman (d. 1664),
and his father Thomas Newman (d.1649).
On the East Wall of the Newman Chapel.
c.1664.
Sizes - Height
135.5 cm x width 60 cm.
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Richard Newman (1650 - 1682).
Aged 32 - he predeceased his father Richard Newman d. 17
Restored mural monument on the West Wall of the Newman Chapel recording the removal of his leaden coffin to the vault.
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Fifehead Manor.
History of Dorset. pub 1870. p58 notes that "The Mansion, in part
taken down about 1806 and the remainder converted into a farm house, was
perhaps situated in as pleasant a spot as any in the county of Dorset, on a
gentle eminence surrounded by avenues of lofty elms, commanding on the east a
picturesque view of Stour Provost
