Bath, Art and Architecture

Tuesday, 23 December 2025

The 18th Century Monuments in All Saints Church Weston, Bath. No 6. General Joseph Smith by Viner of Bath, 1790. Some notes on the Viners and Morford Street, Bath.

The Viners (Stone and Marble Masons of Bath) fl 1779 - 1814.

Charles Viner, (d.1823) 10 Morford St, Bath (Bath Chronicle 18 Jan.1798).

Probably the most important member of the Viner family for the purpose of this essay.

Father Gabriel Viner (d. c 1795) listed as Mason, 7 Margarets Blgs in the New Bath Guide of 1780, 1784 and 1792.

Brother William Viner - carpenter owned 9 and 19 Morford St on the West side of the street.

Tomb of Gabriel Viner. c1795. Pennant stone sarcophagus located north-west of the crossing, close to the church at Weston. The tapering sarcophagus stands on end plinths over a base, with foliate corner decorations, and has two stone handles (in the form of garlands) on each side. The cover has a gadrooned edge. Listed as a strong example of a Neo-classical churchyard memorial. No 428 on the churchyard plan (see illustation below).

Gunnis notes that the monuments of Charles Viner are quite well executed but not particularly interesting, the best being that to Lady Dundonald, which is a large work in coloured marbles.

The diary of Sir Charles Throckmorton of Coughton Court, Warks contains the entry ‘l4 April, 1795. Agreed with Mr. Viner, of Morford Street, Bath, to erect a marble monument in the Abbey Church of Bath to the memory of Mr. Metcalfe according to the draught given in, for £15’ (Beard 1951, 1641).

In 1814 Viner was paid £133 for black marble for the staircase hall and, two years later, for the chimneypieces for Doddington Park, Glos, then being rebuilt by Christopher Codrington.

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A Preliminary List of Works - Charles Viner.

Lady Dundonald, Funerary Monument d.1779. All Saints, Weston, Bath Somerset. (below)

William and Catherine Wilton. St Mary Magdalene Church, Langridge, Bath.

Robert Coe. Funerary Monument ?1788. St Swithin's, Walcot, Bath, Somerset.

The Monument to Members of the Ditcher Family. All Saints, Weston, Bath. Presumed after 1790. (below)

Theophilus Ponting. Funerary Monument ?1791. Norton St Philip, Somerset.

Charlotte Wicker. Funerary Monument ?1795. Weston, Somerset.

Mr Metcalfe. Funerary Monument 1795. Bath Abbey, Somerset. untraced.

John Taylor. Funerary Monument ?1806. Newton St Loe, Somerset.

Brigadier-General Joseph Smith . Funerary Monument d.1790, Weston, Somerset (below).

Several Chimneypieces. 1816. Doddington Park, Glos. untraced.

John Dick. Funerary Monument ?1817. Devizes, Wilts.

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The Monument to Brigadier General Joseph Smith.

After 1790.

All Saints, Weston, Bath.

Inscribed C.Viner.

At first glance an impressive work but to my eye flawed. the bust doesn't work and would have been much mre effective if it had been independent of the grey marble obelisque.

but the two female figures are well carved.

I suspect that this monument was a collaboration.

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The Tomb of General Joseph Smith. c1790. In the Churchyard at Weston, Bath.

Presumably by the Viner Workshop.

The Chest tomb of Bath stone, located north of the north-west end of the church. An elaborate neo-classical memorial on an oval base, the rectangular chest with paired engaged columns with acanthus capitals at the projecting ends.

The main field sports a fine military trophy in relief, surrounding an inscription panel, the epitaph of which opens `Here is deposited the noblest work of God / an Honest Man / A Brave Officer etc. The other side bears a plain marble panel set amid drapery. The upswept fluted cover rises to a two-stage base bearing a decorated urn. Listed as an exceptional neo-classical memorial. General Smith died in 1790: he also has the memorial on the north wall (illustrated above) within Weston church. No 53 on the churchyard plan.

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The Monument to William and Catherine Wilton.

Inscribed C Viner Bath on the supporting brackets

St Mary Magdalene Church, Langridge, Bath.

After 1792.

Mutilated the obelisque from above the inscription tablet is now missing.

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Another Monument by Viner of Bath.

All Saints Weston, Bath.

Catherine Countess of Dundonald, Died 1779.

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The Monument to Members of the Ditcher Family.

All Saints, Weston, Bath.

Inscribed C Viner. Bath Ft.

Probably after 1790.

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Martha Vandewall Williams.

Monument carved by C. Viner of Bath.

Bristol Cathedral.

d.1789.

Died at the Hot Wells /on the 18th March 1789 /and in the 19th Year of her age /Martha Vandewall Williams /Eldest Daughter and Coheiress /of John Williams Esq'r /of Panthowell, /in the County of Carmarthen /and lies interred near this place.

https://bristol-cathedral.co.uk/the-cathedral/search-the-collection/collection-item/index1154.html?id=1240136&page=37

The marriage settlement of John Williams and Martha Neate.

https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/search/archives/b60fa140-359f-38af-ac1b-581992fe3b6c?component=3c084be3-d694-31ad-9e47-87bc8f60e135

The house of Panthowell, Trelech a'r Betws, Carmarthenshire, was owned by the Williams family for nearly three centuries. John Williams (d. 1773) was the last of the male line at Panthowell.

The property passed to his daughter Margarette Vandewall Williams, who married the Rev. William Shippen Willes, of Cirencester, (d. 1822) in 1797; their son, William Willes, inherited the estate.

By 1831, the estate consisted of Panthowell, Panthowell Mill, Crug y denyon and Ffynnon Sais. In 1834 the estate was sold to Lt-Col Thomas Samuel Nicholls (1787-1857), of Tenby, Pembrokeshire. In 1837, Nicholls adopted the name Trafford, his grandmother's family, and built a large mansion at Panthowell in c. 1850. His second wife, Maria, continued to live at Panthowell until her death in 1908. The property was then sold to local farmers.

I suspect that the choice of Viner as sculptor probably lay with her grandmother Martha Vandewall who was living at Lansdown Grove, Lansdown Road, Bath.

The enormously rich Quaker Vandewall / Neate family of Greenwich and Lindsey House, Lincolns Inn Fields have appeared several times in the blog - including -.

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-william-seward-martha-vandewall.html

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2023/06/some-more-vandewall-stuff.html

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Morford St, Bath, looking North.

1960's Photographs.

The Viner's premises at No.9 and 10.

In 1972 the bottom houses on the west side were infuriatingly demolished as far as and including no 9 during the so called Sack of Bath and the comprehensive redevelopment of various areas of Bath.

The excuse given was slum clearance.

The buildings on the East side were completely cleared including the Georgian Riding School.

How and why did this wanton destruction happen??

The rest of the houses on the west side were saved but not before all the interiors were stripped.

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The West side Corner of Morford St and Julian Road (Formerly Cottles Lane).

The rear of Morford St photograph taken from the demolished Lampard's Buldings.

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"Bath in Time."

An example of a blatent capatalist taking over / privatising one of Bath city's assets (payed for by the rate payers) and happening in plain sight.

Who allowed this to happen?

They coralled all the city's photographic archive - assembled the images on a website and made them unavailable for general consumption unless one was prepared to pay an extortionate price for a digital image.

Here are some examples - at least the images are of a reasonable resolution despite the enormous and unnecessary water marks - their map and plans are even worse - and are unreadable.

To rub salt into the wound the owner then sold the business back to the council.

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Here are the Bath in Time photographs of the entrance and interior of Davies Place on the East side of Morford St.

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Balance Street, Lampards Blgs and Morford Street.

The Cottrel Map showing Viners Court running between Lampards Buildings and Morford Street.

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Ordnance Survey Map of the area - 1880's.

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Some notes ref. Charles Viner.

Bath Records Office. Archives.

Ref. BC/6/2/9/2057/1 Agreement. 16 Nov 1777. 8 Morford St. Bath

1. Gabriel Viner of the parish of Walcot Somerset, mason and Mark Spencer of Walcot, carpenter.

2. Joseph Pow of Walcot, carpenter.

Agreement from 1 to 2 subject to rent of a plot of ground in Morford Street formerly part of Payne's Leaze for building. Rent: £3.

Former Reference Number BC153/2057/1

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Ref. BC/6/2/9/2034/1 10 Morford St - Conveyance by lease and release.

25 Nov 1779 - 26 Nov 1779.

1. The Reverend Edward Sheppard and Francis Bennett, linen draper both of the parish of Walcot Somerset. This is almost certainly Rev. Sheppard later of Chatham Row.

2. Rebecca Morford of the parish of Walcot Somerset, spinster.

3. Henry Silcock of Walcot, gent. and Hannah his wife (nee Morford). Rebecca Morford and Hannah Silcock being daughters of John Morford, gent. and Mary his wife of Walcot, both deceased.

4. Gabriel Viner of Walcot, mason and Mark Spencer of Walcot, carpenter trustee for Gabriel Viner.

Conveyance from 1, 2 and 3 to 4 subject to rent of a messuage in Morford Street. Rent: £2:10.

Former Reference Number BC153/2034/1

The ref to Dr Sheppard is tantalising .....

Gabriel Viner was the father of Charles Viner.

https://collections.batharchives.co.uk/bc.6.2.9.2034.1

Friday, 19 December 2025

The 18th Century Monuments in All Saints Church Weston, Bath. No 5. The Mural monument to Sophia Cotton and her sister Sidney Arabella Cotton . Slight return.........

The Monument to Sophia Cotton (b. c 1704 - died 1767).

and Sidney Arabella Cotton (b. c.1709 d. 1781).

Daughters of Sir Thomas Cotton, 2nd Baronet and Philadephia Cotton.

Sisters of Thomas Salusbury Cotton; Henry Cotton; Anne Cotton; Sir Robert Salusbury Cotton, MP, 3rd Baronet; Philadelphia Cotton and 10 other siblings.

The monument which is not inscribed by the sculptor bears all the hallmarks of the Bath workshop of the Fords father and son.

John Ford I (1711 - 1767) Mason and John Ford II (1736 - 1803) who described himself as a Statuary.

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2025_10_24_archive.html

The Monument was probably put up shortly after the death of Sophia in 1767.

For an in depth look at the works of both father and son see -

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2025/10/monuments-by-ford-of-bath-bath-abbey.html

The Cotton monument could do with a very gentle wash which would reveal the delicate detail and allow the quality to be more easily assessed.

A notable feature on the Cotton monument is the textured background of the relief of the grieving lady which also appears on several other of the earlier monuments by the Fords including the relief formerly on the Malone Monument in Bath Abbey of 1765/66, the Monument to Leonard Coward (d. 1764) and his wife Elizabeth d.1759, and their son Leonard (1717 - 1795) also in Bath Abbey and the The Monument to Martha Maria Phillips at St Swithun's Parish Church, Bathford of 1759.

I will take the opportunity here to illustrate the five variants of the version of the relief with the reclining and grieving lady clutching the urn.

Variations of this relief (all illustrated below) were used by the Fords on several other monuments including -

that of Robert Cox monument at Piddletrenthide, Dorset where the urn is slightly different and the sarcophagus on the right is replaced with a Palm tree.

The John St Aubyn monument at Stringston, Somerset, again with the palm tree to the right.

The Day family monument at St Mary Magdalene, Ditcheat, Somerset,

The Monument to Richard Long d.1760 in the Church of St Mary's, Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire.

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It is strange that as time progressed the quality of the workmanship of the Ford monument reliefs gradually deteriorated. I suspect Ford Jnr had little to do with the carving.

Here the textured background of the relief is plain to see.

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The Robert Cox d.1777 and George Cox (d. 1777) Monument in All Saints Church, Piddletrenthide, Dorset.

Clearly inscribed on the supporting bracket - Ford Bath. Fct.

This monument was very difficult to photograph - it is on the North East wall of the Aisle of Chancel tucked away behind the organ.

Another Monument inscribed by Ford of Bath to William Cox d.1790 is also in the church.

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2025_10_24_archive.html

A Memorial on the Floor of Bath Abbey.

In a Walled Grave / are deposited the Remains of / John Cox / Esquire / fourth Son of the late / William Cox Esquire / of Piddletrenthide / in the / County of Dorset / Died / 20th. January 1814 / Aged 41.

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John St Albyn - Funerary Monument - 1766 -

Stringston, nr Bridgwater. Somerset.

Inscribed Ford Bath Ft on the supporting bracket.

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Day (or Dawe) family member - Funerary Monument,

The inscription is illegible.

St Mary Magdalene - Ditcheat, Somerset.

The form of the skull on the apron should be noted - it is repeated on other Ford monuments - including on the reliefs with the grieving child on both the Coward Monument at Bath Abbey, the Phillips Monument at Bathford, and the Smith monument at Combe Hay.