Object Details

Monument to George John Frederick, 4th Duke of Dorset

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Location
Makers
General Information
Classification
Object Parts
Object Condition
History
References
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Author: Anthony McIntosh
Copyright for Photograph:

Creative Commons

Location

Street:B2110 Withyham Road
Town:Withyham
Parish:Withyham
Council:Wealden District Council
County:East Sussex
Postcode:TN7
Location on Google Map
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.

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Makers

Name : John Flaxman
     Role:Sculptor

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General Information

Commissioned by: Arabella, Duchess of Dorset
Construction period:1815
Installation date:1815
Work is:Extant
Owner custodian:Earl De La Warr
Description:Affixed to the north wall of the Chapel. A portrait medallion of the Duke is mounted above the seated, mourning figure of his mother depicted below. Her right arm supports her head as she leans against an urn. The relief sits on a base that is inscribed to the front.
Signatures:Signature to the east side of the monument, carved letters:
FLAXMAN.
R.A.
SCULPTOR.
Inscription:Underneath the sculptural relief, carved, gilt painted letters:

UNDER THIS MARBLE ARE DEPOSITED
THE REMAINS
OF GEORGE JOHN FREDERICK DUKE OF DORSET,
WHO WAS KILLED BY A FALL FROM HIS HORSE
IN THE VICINITY OF DUBLIN,
ON THE 14TH DAY OF FEBRUARY A.D. 1815,
HAVING JUST ATTAINED THE AGE OF 21 YEARS.
IN THE HIGHEST RANK HE WAS HUMBLE.
AMIDST THE TEMPTATIONS OF YOUTH
HIS MORALS WERE EXEMPLARY:
HIS REASON STRENGTHENED BY EARLY CULTURE,
HIS MIND ENLIGHTENED BY KNOWLEDGE,
HIS MANNERS FORMED BY BENEVOLENCE,
HIS VIRTUES FOUNDED ON RELIGION,
RENDERED HIM
THE DELIGHT OF HIS FRIENDS,
THE HOPE OF HIS COUNTRY.
HIS PREMATURE DEATH
WAS BY TWO NATIONS
DEPLORED AS A PUBLICK CALAMITY.
BUT TO THOSE WHO LOVED HIM,
HIS VIRTUES SUPPLY A CONSOLATION:
THEY SORROW. BUT NOT AS WITHOUT HOPE:
FOR THROUGH THE MERCY OF THEIR REDEEMER.
THE SPIRITS OF JUST MEN MADE PERFECT
SHALL MEET TO PART NO MORE.

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Classification

Categories:Sculptural, Funerary, Commemorative
Object type1:Sculpture
Object type2:Relief
Subject type1:Figurative
     Subject subtype1:Seated
Subject type2:Portrait
     Subject subtype1:Seated

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Object Parts

Part 1:Whole monument
     Material:White and dark grey marble
     Height (cm):270
     Width (cm):168
     Depth (cm):25
Part 2:Sculptural relief and plinth
     Material:White marble
     Height (cm):250
     Width (cm):138
     Depth (cm):25

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Object Condition

Overall condition:Good
Risk assessment:No known risk
Date of on-site inspection:22/02/2008

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History

History:George John Frederick Sackville, 4th Duke of Dorset ( 15 November 1793 - 14 February 1815) was the only son of John Frederick Cranfield Sackville (25 March 1745 -19 July 1799), the 3rd Duke of Dorset and Arabella, Duchess of Dorset (1768 -1 August 1825). He died in Ireland following a fall from a horse. As he died unmarried, the titles passed to Charles Sackville Germain, 2nd. Viscount Sackville (1767-1843), the son and heir of George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville. Charles Sackville Germain thus became the 5th duke of Dorset. When he subsequently died on the 29th of July 1843 the Dukedom of Dorset became extinct.

The 4th Duke had two sisters one of whom, Elizabeth, married George West, 5th Earl De La Warr. She inherited all of the great Sackville estates and was created Baroness Buckhurst in her own right while her children took the surname Sackville-West.

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.

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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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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

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