Flitton
De Grey Mausoleum

Places > Flitton > Mausoleums

"The De Grey Mausoleum is one of the greatest storehouses of monuments in England.  A pity that it somehow has the storehouse feeling." (Pevsner, 1968)

The De Grey Mausoleum is attached to the Church of Saint John the Baptist, Flitton.  It is entered through wrought iron gates inside the church and contains brasses, tomb chests and effigies.  There are 21 monuments in all, the earliest are nearest the gates. 

The mausoleum seems to have started as a chapel in the early seventeenth century with a major extension a century later.  The builders were a local firm, the Bishop family.

The first tomb chest is that of Henry Grey (died 1614) and his wife, made of alabaster.  Next, is the monument erected to Henry Grey the ninth Earl, (dated 1658) with two marble effigies and a back wall with two allegorical female figures in the mannerist style.

Other monuments include:

• Henry Grey (died 1545), commemorated by a brass and a 27 inch figure.
• Lady Jane Hart, dated 1673, a white semi-reclining figure.
• Lady Elizabeth Talbot (died 1651) erected 1653.
• Henrietta de Grey (died 1716).  Monument has a steep pyramid background and a semi-reclining effigy.
• Henry de Grey (died 1717). Monument has a steep pyramid background and a semi-reclining effigy.
• Anthony de Grey, Earl of Harrold, life size figure in pseudo-Roman dress in a recumbent posture.  The tomb is by John Dowyer, 1726.
• Henry de Grey and his two wives. Dated to 1740, the figure of Henry is attributed to Rysbrack.
• Philip, Earl of Hardwicke (died 1790) by Thomas Banks. The monument depicts a mounring woman seated on the ground by an urn.
• Henrietta de Grey (died 1848) by Terence Farrell depicting a relief of the mourning family
• Sir Thomas Philip Robinson, Earl de Grey, 5th Baron Lucas (died 1859) by Matthew Noble. The first president of the Royal Institute of British Architects.  He is depicted lying wrapped in a cloak.

Sources:

• Pevsner, N  The buildings of England: Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough, 1968
• Pamphlets and church guides in the collection of Bedford Central Library

De Grey Mausoleum, by Bedfordshire Libraries, 2007

Page last updated: 28th January 2014