Public Sculptures of Sussex Database Record - Monument to Arabella, Duchess of Dorset
Monument to Arabella, Duchess of Dorset
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons
Location
Street:
B2110 Withyham Road
Town:
Withyham
Parish:
Withyham
Council:
Wealden District Council
County:
East Sussex
Postcode:
TN7
Object setting:
Inside building
and in:
Religious
Access is:
Private
Location note:
The Sackville Chapel, north east corner of the Parish Church of St. Michael and
All Angels
In the AZ book:
East Sussex
Page:
13
Grid reference:
M8
The A-Z books used are A-Z East Sussex and A-Z West Sussex (Editions 1A
2005). Geographers' A-Z Map Company Ltd. Sevenoaks.
Makers
Name:
Role:
Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey
Sculptor
General Information
Commissioned by:
Lady Mary Sackville, Countess of Plymouth and Lady Elizabeth Sackville,
Countess De La Warr.
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Public Sculptures of Sussex Database Record - Monument to Arabella, Duchess of Dorset
Construction period:
1825
Installation date:
1825
Work is:
Extant
Owner custodian:
Earl De La Warr
Description:
Set against a dark grey marble background is a sculptural relief under a canopied
top depicting the kneeling and weeping figures of the two daughters of Arabella,
Duchess of Dorset. They support themselves with their left arms against a draped
urn.
Signatures:
Signature to eastern side of monument, carved letters:
CHANTREY. SC.
Inscription:
To the front of the monument, underneath the relief, carved letters, painted black:
TO THE MEMORY OF
ARABELLA DIANA DUCHESS OF DORSET,
THE HOURS OF HER LAST ILLNESS WERE FEW AND HER DEATH SUDDEN,
BUT HER SORROWING DAUGHTERS HAD THE CONSOLATION OF
KNOWING
THAT SHE WAS NOT UNPREPARED TO MEET IT,
FOR IN HER WAS ALL THE PIETY OF A CHRISTIAN
EXTENSIVE CHARITY TO THE INDIGENT
AND CONSTANCY IN EXERCISING THE DUTIES
WHICH ADORN AND RENDER HAPPY DOMESTIC LIFE.
SHE DIED AUGUST 1ST. 1825 IN THE 58TH. YEAR OF HER AGE.
Classification
Categories:
Sculptural, Funerary, Commemorative
Object type 1:
Sculpture
Object type 2:
Relief
Subject type 1:
Figurative
Subject type 2:
Portrait
Object Parts
Part 1:
Whole monument
Material:
White and dark grey marble
Height (cm):
285
Width (cm):
160
Depth (cm):
36
Object Condition
Overall condition:
Good
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Public Sculptures of Sussex Database Record - Monument to Arabella, Duchess of Dorset
Risk assessment:
No known risk
Date of on-site inspection:
22/02/2008
History
History:
Arabella Diana Cope (1768 -1 August 1825) was the daughter of Sir Charles
Cope and Catherine Bisshopp. She was the widow of John Frederick Cranfield
Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset (25 March 1745 – 19 July 1799) and later married
Lord Whitworth. Her two daughters, who commissioned the monument, were
Lady Mary Sackville, Countess of Plymouth (30 Jul 1792 - 20 Jul 1864) and Lady
Elizabeth Sackville-West, Countess De La Warr (11 September 1795 - 9 January
1870).
The Sackville Chapel was added to the church by Richard Sackville 5th Earl of
Dorset (16 September 1622 – 27 August 1677). On 16 June 1663, the whole
church was largely destroyed after a lightning strike. The heat generated was so
great that even the bells melted. The original Sackville monuments were
completely destroyed. The church was rebuilt but did not reopen until 1672 and
the rebuilding of the Sackville Chapel was not completed for another eight years.
The chapel is unusual in that it does not come under the jurisdiction of the Bishop
but is privately owned by the 11th Earl De La Warr, who is patron of the church.
The church was given a Grade I listing because of the monuments.
(Source: ‘The Sackville Chapel’)
This entry is included in the database with kind permission and support from
Countess De La Warr.
References
Source 1 :
Title:
'The Sackville Chapel'
Type:
Book
Author:
Countess De La Warr, & Innes-Smith, Robert.
Publisher:
English Life Publications Ltd. Derby.
---------------------------------------
Source 2 :
Title:
'Historical Notices of the Parish of Withyham in the County of Sussex, With a
Description of the Church and Sackville Chapel'
Type:
Book
Author:
Sackville-West, Reginald Windsor.
Page:
58-100
Publisher:
John Russell Smith. London.
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Public Sculptures of Sussex Database Record - Monument to Arabella, Duchess of Dorset
Photographs
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons
Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright: Creative Commons
This document is part of the Public Sculptures of Sussex database, which has been produced by the National Recording Project for Sussex.
The Project is a Heritage Lottery funded collaboration between the University of Brighton and the Public Monuments and Sculpture
Association who are based in London. You can find out more about the project on our website: http://www.publicsculpturesofsussex.co.uk/
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