The Monson Monument

St John the Baptist Parish Church, South Carlton, houses the magnificent monument dedicated to Sir John (d. 1593) and Jane, Lady Monson (d. 1624), erected in 1625 by their son Sir Thomas Monson. The monument was carved by highly regarded court sculptor Nicholas Stone, who was paid £200 for it (as recorded in his note and account books. The monument comprises a large, six-poster, free-standing tomb, with what Pevsner describes as: ‘Two white recumbent effigies, excellently carved. The children kneel below along the tomb-chest' ('The Note-Book and Account Book of Nicholas Stone, The Walpole Society, Vol. 7').
 

Despite the monument being well-recognised as a fine example of Stone’s work, little had previously been known about Sir John and Lady Jane and the circumstances under which the monument was commissioned and completed; did Sir John make any stipulation about the monument, or was it entirely a commission at Lady Jane’s direction? Why did the cost of the monument increase from the £150 allowed in Lady Jane’s will, to the £200 recorded in Stone’s note and account books?

The condition of the monument has been a concern for many years, and iron bars, ties and other remedial repairs have been undertaken over the last 100 years. In 2016 Emma, Lady Monson, commissioned a Condition Report from Skillingtons Workshop, which recommended an extensive scheme of conservation work to the monument. Its then condition was deemed so poor that the chapel remains locked behind railings, meaning visitors to the church were not able to view the stonework in any detail. This restoration project has ensured a new generation of visitors will be able to get up close to the monument and study it in detail.

 

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