The Monument to Lady Katherine Bertie of Lindsey (Paston).
1636.
Church of St Michael, Oxnead, Norfolk.
Nicholas Stone (1586 - 1647) of Long Acre, Covent Garden.
Commissioned by her husband Sir William Paston (created
1st Baronet Paston of Oxnead in 1641).
Stone had begun work at Oxnead Hall for Sir
William in 1631. Restored by the Pilgrim’s Trust, under the supervision of
Stanley Wearing, 1956-57.
The shape of the socle support used here is interesting - this type was later developed and used frequently albeit on a smaller scale by Henry Cheere in the 18th century - the use of different styles of socles used both on church monuments and secular portrait busts is a subject that has not been broached previously and would reward study - I have in my posts looked at the use of signature socles on the busts by Roubiliac, John Cheere, Joseph Nollekens and Joseph Wilton in the 18th century.
For much more on Stone see the article by Adam White - https://georgiangroup.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/GGS_1986_Symposium_04_White_0001.pdf
https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2018/11/john-vandestein-at-queens-college.html
https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2018/11/william-peyto-peto-by-nicholas-stone.html
http://english18thcenturyportraitsculpture.blogspot.com/2017/09/hendrick-de-keyser-and-his.html
http://english18thcenturyportraitsculpture.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-three-busts-of-sir-thomas-bodley-at.html
http://english18thcenturyportraitsculpture.blogspot.com/2017/10/bust-of-sir-thomas-bodley-some.html
The Sculptor Nicholas Stone (1586 - 1647).
Nicholas Stone at what is now 17 Longacre, Covent Garden.
Some notes - not exhaustive.
Nicholas Stone (d. 1647) Sculptor had his residence and
workshop on the west corner of Rose Street where it meets Long Acre -
The most important years of his career are exceptionally
well-documented due to the existence of his note- and account-books for the
period 1631-42, which list over 80 monuments and numerous other commissions
Nicholas Stone, sculptor, architect and mason. His
house—rented from the Crown at £10 a year—must have been a large one, as Vertue
mentions that John Stone, the author of Enchiridion, was hidden in it for
"above a twelvemonth, without the knowledge of his father."6 Another
son, Henry, best known as "Old Stone," was described on his monument
in St. Martin's Church as "of Long Acre.
Caius Gabriel Cibber (1630–1700), sculptor, the son of a
cabinet-maker to Frederick III, the Danish king. He arrived in England around
1655, and became journeyman and then foreman to John Stone, John Stone, son of
the late master mason to Charles I.
When Stone suffered a
seizure in 1660, Cibber ran his workshop in Long Acre. He became sculptor to
Charles II on 20 June 1667. With his wife Jane Colley (c.1646–1697) of Glaston
in Rutland, Cibber had three children: poet laureate and playwright Colley
Cibber (1671–1757), Veronica, and Lewis.
Among other works, Cibber is known for his figures of
Melancholy Madness and Raving Madness (1680) which adorned the gateway in front
of Bethlehem Hospital.
The house was inherited by his eldest son the painter Henry
Stone who died on 24 August 1653.
A Mr Stone was still
at this address in 1673 ( Lacys Map - 1673).
Later part of the Stone's property became the Bird in Hand.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol36/pp266-270
In 1635 and 1636 the fourth Earl of Bedford granted in fee
farm several sites between Long Acre and Hart Street later renamed Floral Street (so far as can be
judged, excluding those on which building had taken place recently) and thus
abrogated control over their subsequent development.
One such development attracted the attention of the Privy
Council in 1638 and was referred to Inigo Jones. The property concerned was the
'handsomely plainted' garden between Long Acre and New Street (now New Row).
After being granted in fee farm in 1635 it had changed hands
and been parcelled out. Several persons were concerned (including Richard
Harris, a Covent Garden chapelwarden, and Nicholas Stone, master mason of the
King's Works) but John Ward, citizen and girdler, was singled out by the Privy
Council. According to Inigo Jones, Ward had designed to make a communication
from Long Acre towards Covent Garden by means of an alley about 9 feet wide
extending south (to be called White Rose Street), which was to open into a
second alley extending east, about 18 feet wide (to be called Red Rose Street),
and, if possible, to continue the second alley southwards over ground which did
not belong to him.
Jones thought that Ward would not be able to buy the land
which he needed, and complained about 'the pestering of such places with Allyes
of meane houses having but one way into them, and no other to goe out', and the
Privy Council, 'disliking the desine', ordered Ward 'to disist'. (fn. 26)
However, the northern and east-west arms of what is now Rose Street had already
been built, and were allowed to remain.
The scheme was finally completed in 1640, by Richard Harris,
who had bought the land he needed from Ward in the previous year. Harris's
development required the collusion of the Earl of Bedford, who 'did condiscend'
that Harris should build the southern arm of Rose Street to connect with the
recently opened New Street. It evidently proved an ill speculation for Harris,
who in 1647 was complaining that he had entered into it 'most unfortunately …
with two Thousand pounds Losse, to the utter ruyne and undoeing of [him], his
wife and Children'. (fn. 29) The contorted remains of Rose Street still survive
as a monument to speculators' folly, and the ineptness of Charles I's Privy
Council.
Nicholas Stone the sculptor occupied a piece of land on the
east of White Rose Street on which stood a two-storey brick house, one timber
and one brick 'workhouse'. In 1636 he obtained a grant of this property in fee
farm. Three years later he contracted with Richard Harris for a piece of ground
between his house and the alley called White Rose Street where he agreed to
build a house over the passage entrance with a 'faire and lardge stone Arche of
Twelve foote in height and Eleaven foote in widenes'.
It appears that he did build it, for his descendant, John
Stone, described as a stone-cutter, was in possession of a messuage called 'the
Arch house' in 'Whitecrosse' (i.e., White Rose) Street in 1661.
Other masons who
occupied houses in Long Acre in c. 1624 were Baernert Janson (Barnard Johnson)
and James White, tombmakers, and John Medhurst.
