Burton Memorial Tomb
| 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: | West Hill Road |
| Town: | St. Leonards on Sea |
| Parish: | Hastings |
| Council: | Hastings Borough Council |
| County: | East Sussex |
| Postcode: | TN38 |
| Location on Google Map | |
| Object setting: | Garden |
| Access is: | Public |
| Location note: | A small grassed family graveyard close to junction with Archery Road |
| In the AZ book: | East Sussex |
| Page: | 127 |
| Grid reference: | H8 |
| 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: | TQ797089 |
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Makers
| Name : | Unknown |
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General Information
| Construction period: | After 1837. Retaining wall built in 1973. |
| Work is: | Extant |
| Object listing: | Grade II: of special interest warranting every effort to preserve them |
| Description: | The tomb is in the form of a pyramid. Plaques containing inscriptions are attached to each of the four faces. There is a retaining wall topped with copping stones. There is a small paved area and a slab covering the entrance to the tomb. |
| Inscription: | In Memory of JAMES BURTON ESQRE. FOUNDER OF ST LEONARDS Born July 29th 1761 Died March 31st 1837 ALSO of ELIZABETH his wife Born Decr. 12th 1761. Died Jan. 14th 1847. Plaque on Eastern face: IN MEMORY OF JANE Widow of THOMAS WOOD. Daughter of the late JAMES BURTON. BORN 4TH APRIL 1792. DIED 11TH DECR. 1879. Also of DECIMUS BURTON F.R.S. Son of the late JAMES BURTON. BORN 30TH SEPTR. 1800. DIED 14TH DECR. 1881 WHO IS BURIED AT KENSAL GREEN Plaque on Northern face: IN MEMORY OF ELIZA BURTON Daughter of the late JAMES BURTON BORN 29 SEPTR. 1786. DIED 6 FEB. 1877 Also of ALFRED BURTON. SON OF THE LATE JAMES BURTON. BORN 18TH. JUNE 1802. DIED 24 APRIL 1877. WHO IS BURIED AT FAIRLIGHT. Plaque on Southern face: IN MEMORY OF EMILY JANE WOOD BORN 15TH APRIL 1815. DIED 17TH DECEMBER 1892. ALSO OF HELEN WOOD 3RD NOVEMBER 1816. DIED 19TH JANUARY 1903 Inscription on copping stones, Eastern face: THESE STONES WERE LAID BY JOHN FEARON M.A. TO COMMEMORATE THE RSETORATION OF HIS ANCESTORS' TOMB (all on one line – the last copping stone is missing and probably contained the date of the restoration, i.e. 1973) |
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Classification
| Categories: | Funerary, Architectural, Commemorative |
| Object type1: | Shaft |
| Object subtype1: | Pyramid |
| Object type2: | Building |
| Object subtype1: | Mausoleum |
| Subject type1: | Non-figurative |
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Object Parts
| Part 1: | Tomb entrance |
| Material: | York stone slab |
| Height (cm): | 10 |
| Width (cm): | 183 |
| Depth (cm): | 122 |
| Part 2: | Pyramid |
| Material: | Sandstone (local) |
| Height (cm): | 415 |
| Width (cm): | 410 |
| Depth (cm): | 335 |
| Part 3: | Retaining wall |
| Material: | Sandstone, York stone copping slabs |
| Height (cm): | 95 |
| Width (cm): | 425 |
| Depth (cm): | 410 |
| Part 4: | Plaques |
| Material: | Portland limestone |
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Object Condition
| Overall condition: | Fair |
| Risk assessment: | At risk |
| Condition 1 of type: | Vandalism |
| Condition 1: | Structural damage |
| More details: | As one of the copping stones is completely missing and weighs a substantial amount, it can only be assumed that this has been stolen. |
| Condition 2 of type: | Structural |
| Condition 1: | Loose elements |
| Condition 2: | Cracks, splits, breaks, holes |
| Condition 3: | Broken or missing parts |
| More details: | Some of the bricks forming the sides of the tomb entrance are displaced. One of the copping stones on top of the retaining wall is missing. |
| Condition 3 of type: | Surface |
| Condition 1: | Surface spalling, crumbling |
| Condition 2: | Abrasions, cracks, splits |
| Condition 3: | Corrosion, Deterioration |
| More details: | Significant erosion of the blocks and mortar forming the sides of the pyramid. There is overall black soiling. Inscriptions are weathered with several letters / numbers gone completely but in the main the inscriptions are legible. |
| Date of on-site inspection: | 24/05/2007 |
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History
| History: | The builder James Burton (1761 - 1837) developed areas of London such as Regent Street, Bloomsbury, St. Johns Wood. He had a dream one night of a garden city by the sea. He was already in his 60s but in 1928 he began building his maritime paradise, St. Leonards and his son, Decimus (30 September 1800 - 14 December 1881) later completed the task. Family tradition says that Burton’s notion for the pyramid was to evade the Eastern curse: ‘May jackasses sit on your father’s grave’.
The Burton's St Leonards Society The New Town St Leonards was the inspiration of James Burton, (1761 - 1837) and was subsequently enlarged by his son Decimus, (1800 -1881) both father and Son being famous as architects in Bloomsbury, in Tunbridge Wells and elsewhere. Founded in 1828, as an example of regency Town Planning and Garden Landscaping, it is unique. In 1967 over-ambitious expansion schemes threatened the demolition of listed buildings and the destruction of the character of the area. ''Little Bloomsbury by the sea'' was set for extinction. The Burtons St Leonards Society was founded to stop the threat. Their campaign, backed by various organisations like the Civic Trust, the Georgian Group and Hastings Borough Council, resulted in the designation of the conservation area in 1969, by the Local Authority The Need for Conservation The aims of the society are, as well as general improvements: •To encourage the conservation of the work of James and Decimus Burton •To stimulate a high standard of Town Planning •To prevent unsympathetic development in the area. |
| Hard archive file: | Yes |
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References
| Source 1 : | |
| Title: | ‘Statues and Memorials in Hastings and St. Leonards: a report on condition and conservation option |
| Type: | Archive |
| Author: | Dinsmore, Jennifer. |
| Location: | Hastings Borough Council |
| Date: | 00/00/1997 |
| Page: | 8 |
| Publisher: | Hastings Museum and Art Gallery |
| Source 2 : | |
| Title: | ‘Curiosities of East Sussex: A County Guide to the Unusual’ |
| Type: | Book |
| Author: | Arscott, David. |
| Date: | 00/00/1991 |
| Publisher: | S.B. Publications. Market Drayton. |
Further information: | |
| http://www.1066.net/burtons/intro.htm | |
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Photographs
Date: 24/05/2007 Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |  Date: 24/05/2007 Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |
 Date: 24/05/2007 Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |  Date: 24/05/2007 Author: Anthony McIntosh Copyright: Creative Commons |
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