Object Details

Monument to Sir Thomas Selwyn

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

Creative Commons

Location

Street:Friston Hill
Town:Friston
Parish:East Dean & Friston
Council:Wealden District Council
County:East Sussex
Postcode:BN20
Location on Google Map
Object setting:Inside building
and in:Religious
Access is:Public
Location note:The Selwyn (North) Transept, Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin
In the AZ book:East Sussex
Page:158
Grid reference:E2
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.
Previous location:The Chancel of the Church.

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Makers

Name : Isaac James
     Role:Sculptor
     Qualify:attributed to

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General Information

Commissioned by: Selwyn family
Construction period:After 1613
Work is:Extant
Owner custodian:Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin. Friston.
Description:Funerary monument to Sir Thomas Selwyn, with two figures, depicting Thomas and Elizabeth Selwyn, kneeling either side of a prayer desk with open volumes. Beneath the desk, three infant corpses resting on a cushion depicting three sons who died in childhood ; around the base, six kneeling figures depicting six surviving daughters. The principal figures kneel in front of a panel with an inscription in Latin. The memorial surmounted by three carved, painted and gilded armorial crests.
Inscription:DM/&/MEMORIAE SACRUM/THOMAE SELWYN ARMIGERO (EX ANTI/QUA IN HOC TRACTU SELWYNORUM/ORIUNDO FAMILIA)VIRO(DUM VIXIT) EXI/ MIA & PIETATE & PROBITATE & COMITATE /SINGULARI & AD GENTILUM & AMICORUM/ SUBSIDIA SEMPER PRONO. /EX ELIZABETHA CONIUGE HENRICI GORING/A BURTON EQUITIS AURATI FILIA, TRES/SUSCEPIT FILIOS (VERO TENERIS IN/ ANNIS LUCEM HANC AMISERE) & FILIAS SEX/MARIAM NEMPE THO: WOODWARD LOCATUM/ELIZABETHAM THOME PARKER/ ALICIAM IOHANNI WODWARD/
DOROTHEAM/ANNAM, & BEATRICEM./ V. ANN.LXVII. ANIMAM CHRISTO REDDI/DIT APUD FRISTON XVI MARTII A. SALUTIS MDCXIII/ EXPECTANT EXUME HIC CONDITQ MAGNU/QUE UNIVERSI EXPECTAMQ DIEM/ L. M. P.MOER./ELIZABETHA CONIUNX

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Classification

Categories:Religious, Funerary, Commemorative, Sculptural
Object type1:Relief
Object type2:Marker
     Object subtype1:Inscribed stone
Object type3:Sculpture
Object type4:Statue
Subject type1:Figurative
     Subject subtype1:Group
Subject type2:Portrait
     Subject subtype1:Group

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Object Parts

Part 1:Whole monument
     Material:Alabaster and grey marble with gilding and painted decoration
     Height (cm):240
Part 2:Base plinth
     Material:None
     Width (cm):180
     Depth (cm):50

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Object Condition

Overall condition:Good
Risk assessment:No known risk
Condition 1 of type:Structural
     Condition 1: Broken or missing parts
     More details:Minor damage to base figure 3rd from left
Date of on-site inspection:10/02/2008

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History

History:Translation of inscription:
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF
THOMAS SELWYN ESQUIRE
(descended from the ancient SELWYN family in this
district ) A man (while he lived) distinguished for
piety, honesty and liberality and ever ready to come
to the aid of relatives and friends.
By ELIZABETH his wife,
A daughter of Henry Goring of Burton, Knight,
He has three sons (who lost the light of this life
In their tender years) and six daughters,
Mary, joined in wedlock to Thomas Woodward,
Elizabeth to Thomas Parker,
Alice to John Woodward,
Dorothy, Anne, Beatrice.
He lived for 67 years and rendered his soul to
Christ at Friston on the sixteenth March in the
Year of our salvation 1613. His remains hidden
Here await the great day for which all men look.
ELIZABETH HIS SORROWING WIFE PLACED
THIS STONE IN MEMORY

The Selwyn transept ‘ was built about the middle of the 19th century by Miss Anne Gilbert, for the purpose of providing additional seating accommodation, and also as a place to move two of the Selwyn Monuments, which up to that time had stood in the Chancel and considerably reduced its space.’ Two further monuments to Selwyn family in church- brass memorial on oak base, originally inlaid in Sussex marble, in blocked up doorway, south wall of Nave ; worn stone beneath carpet of aisle.
(Rev.A.A. Evans, Friston Parish Church: a short historical account, revised ed. 2006,
Revd. A.A. Evans, The Selwyns of Sussex, 1923, revised ed. 2002)

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References


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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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