Report

on the

Location and Conditions

of the Gravesite

of

Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert

at

St Mary Magdalene Cambridgeshire

Daniel Benson RIBA, Caroe & Partners 18 Deane House Studios 27 Greenwood Place London NW5 1LB

August 2011

Gravesite of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert

Report on the Location and Condition

INTRODUCTION

1. This report was commissioned by the Government Accommodation Office Department of Public Works on 26 July 2011.

2. A visit was made to the gravesite on 05 August 2011 and during this visit the Author met with the Parish Clerk, Ms Jocelyn Flitton and the Ickleton Society Secretary, Ms Rachel Radford.

3. In addition to the gravesite the Author was shown other items pertaining to Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert and was also referred to the village website (www.ickletonvillage.co.uk) which contains a section with historical information and photographs. In addition, the book ‘The Ickleton Chronicle 1777-1899’ is available (£12.00 plus postage) which is a compilation of extracts from articles from the Cambridge Chronicle and Gazette Newspaper which feature Ickleton events or people. One feature is of the lively fête given in honour of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert upon his return from Queensland.

LOCATION

4. The grave of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert lies in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalene in the village of Ickleton, Cambridgeshire.

5. The church is ancient, mainly 11 th century with later additions, and is oriented, liturgically but not truly, in the traditional way with the chancel to the east.

6. The Grave is located 13.5 meters to the southeast of the church and 2.1 meters from the western boundary wall beyond which is Church Street.

Ickleton Village from the South Church of St Mary Magdalene from Interior of St Mary the Southeast Magdalene looking East

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION

7. The marker is a horizontally laid slab of white marble, 1975mm long x 745mm wide x 150mm think. It in turn is bedded on a stone base 2185mm long x 970mm wide x 100mm thick. The material of this base stone was not identified.

8. The grave marker is one of a pair, that to the south is earlier and marks the grave of ‘The Honourable Algernon Herbert, youngest son of Henry first Earl of

Carnarvon and his wife Marianne’. These are the parents of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert. Grave of Sir Robert Herbert (right) and his parents.

9. The Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert marker has been extended in like materials, when the marker was restored by the in, or around, 1990.

Extension to the foot of the gravemarker

10. The inscription of the marker of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert, and the later extension piece, is transcribed onto the attached document. It is interesting that the grave also contains, and the marker identifies, the remains of Caroline Charity Lempriere. Her connection with the family of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert is, from the inscription, unclear.

CONDITION

11. The ground around both of the Herbert grave markers has recently been cleared of weeds, probably because the author had informed the Parish Clerk, Ms Jocelyn Flitton, of his intended visit.

12. The Lettering on the stone slab is of individual lead letters set into the surface of the stone. Several letters have been lost and a few others are loose to the point where they can be lifted off with relative ease.

13. The edges of the marble slabs have, with time, been softened by nature. The top surface of the marble itself is discoloured with age (due to being flat) and is now a weathered grey colour. Lichens abound on the surface and in addition there are small areas of moss.

14. The stone base has lost most its sharp edges and corners, probably from lawnmowers and trimmers used for Churchyard maintenance. It is, nevertheless, sound and not in need of significant repairs.

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15. The joint where the marble marker sits on its stone base is a fine mortar joint. The mortar has come out along most of the edges and now the roots (of recently pulled weeds which have been growing in this joint) are visible.

16. The extension piece to the grave marker, while not as old, has weathered to a similar appearance. It abuts the original marker and the vertical joint between the two stones has opened up enough for weeds to take root. This extension stone also has lead lettering of which several letters are now loose.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

17. Cleaning :

Lichens are an important natural species and are protected by law. It was pointed out to the author that lichens on the church’s boundary wall have been identified as an extremely rare variety and specialists periodically visit to monitor. It is therefore not recommended that an attempt be made to clean the marble to its original state. The moss, however, can easily be removed and this should now be done.

18. Open Joints :

The open bed joints and the open joint between the original stone and the extension piece should be raked out to remove all loose mortar, soil, debris and plant roots. A suitable herbicide should be sprayed into the open joints and then washed out. The joints should then be pointed up with a suitable lime mortar by a skilled stonemason.

19. Lead Lettering :

Lead lettering is traditionally either flush or raised. Here it is the raised type with lead pins on the reverse which correspond with holes drilled into the stone. Traditionally lime mortar is often used as well. A monumental mason or metal conservator should visit and schedule more fully the necessary repairs. New letters to match can then be made and affixed. Resin rather than lime mortar has been recommended to us.

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OTHER LOCAL ARTIFACTS AND LOCATIONS PERTAINING TO SIR ROBERT GEORGE WYNDHAM HERBERT

20. Although not requested by the commissioners of this report, the local villagers who met the author were keen to point out other mementos of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert in the church and village.

21. The ancestral home of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert, Caldrees Manor, lies a few dozen meters to the northwest of the Church on Abbey Street. Affixed to the front elevation is a historical marker in the form of a blue plaque and which was placed there by the Queensland Women’s Historical Association. Over the front porch is carved the Coat of Arms of the Herbert Family. The house is no longer in the family, however it is still a private residence.

Caldrees Manor: Front

Caldrees Manor: Historical Marker Caldrees Manor: Entrance Porch

22. The Church itself contains several mementos including the following:

• Marble and mosaic memorial plaque set into the wall of the west end of the Nave and which honours Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert and refers to the above mentioned memorial window.

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• Stained Glass window, at the west end of the Nave, in memory of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert, erected in 1906. Nearby is a framed document which describes the window.

West window in memory of Sir Robert Herbert

Framed document referring to the West window

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• Prayerbook of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert complete with his personal bookplate inside the front cover. This book was part of a small stash of books of which there were others containing Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert’s signature.

• Commemorative kneeler cushions embroidered by parishoners in 1966. The church contains several dozen kneelers, admirably worked, each depicting a different scene from Ickleston’s history. Three refer to Sir Robert and/or the Herbert family.

8 GRAVE MARKER OF SIR ROBERT GEORGE WYNDHAM HERBERT

Lettering set into the top of the Slab – the slab is oriented East to West (to be read from West). The below is a transcription of the text:

SACRED

TO THE MEMORY OF

CAROLINE CHARITY LEMPRIERE

DAUGHTER OF

THOMAS LEMPRIERE ESQ.

OF JERSEY

BORN JULY 26 TH 1790

DIED JUNE 13 TH 1886

“FOLLOW AFTER CHARITY AND DESIRE SPIRITUAL GIFTS” I.COR.XIV

SIR ROBERT GEORGE WYNDHAM HERBERT. C. C. B.

CHANCELLOR OF THE ORDER OF ST MICHAEL AND S T GEORGE

ONLY SON OF

THE HON ALGERNON AND MARIANNE HERBERT

AND GRANDSON OF

HENRY 1 ST EARL OF CARNARVON

AND LADY ELIZABETH WINDHAM HIS WIFE:

DEPARTED IN PEACE MAY 6TH 1905

IN HIS 74 TH YEAR.

FIRST

DECEMBER 10 TH 1859

- FEBRUARY 1 ST 1866

RESTORED BY THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT

Denotes missing letters The above is indicative only and Denotes loose, distorted or not a true scale representation. partially missing letters 9 Church of St Mary Magdalene Gravesite of Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert

North

Church Street

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