Monument to John Frederick, 3rd Duke of Dorset
| 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: | 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 : | Joseph Nollekens R.A. |
| Role: | Sculptor |
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General Information
| Commissioned by: | Arabella, Duchess of Dorset. |
| Construction period: | 1802 |
| Installation date: | 1802 |
| Work is: | Extant |
| Owner custodian: | Earl De La Warr |
| Description: | Affixed to the north wall of the Chapel. Relief sculpture with three figures. Two cherubs, one standing to the left, one seated in front, drape garlands over a lidded urn on which is a portrait relief of the 3rd. Duke. Another cherub stands to the right. In his left hand is an up-turned torch and he supports his head with his right arm and hand on the urn. The figures sit on a plinth that holds an inscription to the front. |
| Signatures: | Signature to the front, bottom right of monument:
Nollekens FI 1802 |
| Inscription: | JOHN FREDERICK DUKE and EARL OF DORSET; Earl of Middlefex, Baron of Buckhurfs, and Baron of Cranfield; Knight of the Most Nobel Order of the Garter: Lord-Lietenant and Cuftos-Rotulorum of the County of Kent, and City of Canterbury; Vice-Admiral of the Coafts of the faid County and Steward of Stratford upon Avon. He was Ambaffador to the Court of France. And Steward of HIS MAJESTY’S Houfehold. He died in the Year 1799 the 19th. Day of July in the fifty fifth Year of his Age; And was buried near this Place: To whofe Memory this is offered, with the utmoft Gratitude, Affection and Honor By his Widow ARABELLA DIANA. |
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Classification
| Categories: | Sculptural, Funerary, Commemorative |
| Object type1: | Sculpture |
| Object type2: | Relief |
| Subject type1: | Figurative |
| Subject subtype1: | Group |
| Subject type2: | Portrait |
| Subject subtype1: | Group |
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Object Parts
| Part 1: | Whole monument |
| Material: | White and dark grey marble |
| Height (cm): | 245 |
| Width (cm): | 140 |
| 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: | John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset (25 March 1745 - 19 July 1799) was the son of Lord John Philip Sackville and Frances Leveson-Gower. He married Arabella Diana Cope (1768 -1 August 1825), daughter of Sir Charles Cope and Catherine Bisshopp. The 3rd Duke was the last British Ambassador to France before the revolution of 1789 and became a close friend of Queen Marie Antoinette.
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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