Tomb of Amon Wilds
| Browse information by: Location Makers General Information Classification Object Parts Object Condition History References Photographs |  Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright for Photograph: Creative Commons |
Location
| Street: | Church Street |
| Town: | Brighton |
| Parish: | Brighton |
| Council: | Brighton & Hove City Council |
| County: | East Sussex |
| Postcode: | BN1 |
| Location on Google Map | |
| Object setting: | Outside building |
| and in: | Religious |
| Access is: | Public |
| Location note: | In the eastern churchyard of the Parish Church of St. Nicholas |
| In the AZ book: | East Sussex |
| Page: | 162 |
| Grid reference: | E7 |
| 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. | |
| OS Reference: | TQ3104 |
back to top | |
Makers
| Name : | Amon Henry Wilds |
| Role: | Designer |
back to top | |
General Information
| Commissioned by: | Amon Henry Wilds |
| Installation date: | 1833 |
| Work is: | Extant |
| Owner custodian: | Parish Church of St. Nicholas. Brighton. |
| Object listing: | Grade II: of special interest warranting every effort to preserve them |
| Building listing: | II |
| Description: | A rectangular brick and stone base with a tall table-tomb surmounted by a large scrolled moulding with a shell niche flanked by paterae. There are inscriptions on the face and on the rear of the tomb and the whole structure is tightly surrounded by a rusting metal railing. |
| Inscription: | SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF / MR. AMON WILDS / DIED SEPTEMBER 12TH 1833 AGED 71 YEARS / A REMARKABLE INCIDENT ACCOMPANIES THE PERIOD AT WHICH THIS GENTLEMAN CAME TO SETTLE IN BRIGHTON / THROUGH HIS ABILITIES AND TASTE THE ORDER OF THE ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE OF BUILDINGS IN BRIGHTON / MAY BE DATED TO HAVE CHANGED FROM ITS ANTIQUATED SIMPLICITY AND RUSTICITY; AND ITS IMPROVEMENTS / HAVE SINCE PROGRESSIVELY INCREASED. HE WAS A MAN OF EXTENSIVE GENIUS AND TALENT AND IN HIS / REPUTATION FOR UPRIGHTNESS OF CONDUCT COULD ONLY MEET ITS PARALLEL On the rear of the tomb: SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF MRS. SARAH WIFE OF MR. AMON WILDS WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE FEBRUARY 3RD 1822 AGED 37 YEARS ANN HNUTER RELICT OF AMON WILDS WIFE OF THOMAS HUNTER DIED MAY 19TH 1867 AGED 80 YEARS |
back to top | |
Classification
| Categories: | Free Standing, Commemorative, Funerary |
| Object type1: | Building |
| Object subtype1: | Mausoleum |
| Object type2: | Relief |
| Subject type1: | Figurative |
back to top | |
Object Parts
| Part 1: | Decorated tomb |
| Material: | Stone |
| Height (cm): | 165 |
| Width (cm): | 180 |
| Depth (cm): | 65 |
| Part 2: | Base |
| Material: | Brick and stone |
| Height (cm): | 75 |
| Width (cm): | 250 |
| Depth (cm): | 125 |
back to top | |
Object Condition
| Overall condition: | Fair |
| Risk assessment: | At risk |
| Condition 1 of type: | Structural |
| Condition 1: | Broken or missing parts |
| Condition 2: | Loose elements |
| Condition 3: | Cracks, splits, breaks, holes |
| More details: | The base is crumbling exposing the brickwork under the render. Some bricks are missing and others falling away from the main structure. |
| Condition 2 of type: | Surface |
| Condition 1: | Surface spalling, crumbling |
| Condition 2: | Biological growth |
| Condition 3: | Abrasions, cracks, splits |
| Condition 4: | Corrosion, Deterioration |
| More details: | The base is severely corroded with cracking to all sides. A shrub is growing over the top of the tomb. The metal railings are severely rusted. The inscription is badly weather worn. |
| Date of on-site inspection: | 17/10/2007 |
back to top | |
History
| History: | Amon Wilds (Lewes, January 1762 - Brighton, 12 September 1833). The ammonite design used on the tomb was adopted by Amon and Amon Henry Wilds probably because of its pun on their names. The design was used by them on several architectural projects in Brighton, the surrounding area and London. The tomb was renovated by The Regency Society in the 1950s. The Montpelier and Clifton Hill Society are planning a monument to Wilds and his son in the Seven Dials Area of Brighton. |
back to top | |
References
back to top |
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 |
back to top | |