Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick, St Mary's Church, Warwickshire, South-Central England, British Isles [Map]

The Beauchamp Chapel [Map], or Chapel of our Lady, at St Mary's Church, Warwick, was built in the Fifteenth Century to house the tomb of Richard Beauchamp, the Earl of Warwick.

The entrance to Beauchamp Chapel [Map] from the south side of the nave; you descend by a flight of twelve stone steps. Note the Beauchamp heraldic emblem of a bear and ragged staff. The 'bear' is belived to refer to Urse d'Abetot, 'ursus' being Latin for 'bear'.

Effigy of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. There are other items of agreement for painting the walls with devices and "imagery," and painting and gilding images of certain Saints. The Beauchamp chapel [Map] and tomb were commenced in 1442, and finished in 1465, at the expense of nearly two thousand five hundred pounds. Of the beautiful figure of Beauchamp (age 53) Mr. Stothard executed four drawings, three of which he etched himself, with a spirit truly worthy of so fine a subject. He ascertained that the ponderous figure of latten or bronze which lay upon the altar-tomb was loose, and with considerable effort succeeded in turning it over, when the armour at the back was found as carefully and accurately represented as in the front, showing all the parts of a suit, its straps and fastenings, with instructive minuteness. This view of the figure about the shoulders is particularly fine, and must be of the the highest value to the historical painter, for its boldness and truth.

On 30th April 1439 Richard Beauchamp 13th Earl Warwick (age 57) died at Rouen, France [Map]. His son Henry (age 14) succeeded 14th Earl Warwick. Cecily Neville Duchess Warwick (age 15) by marriage Countess Warwick.

In the middle of the Beauchamp Chapel [Map] lieth upon a tomb of marble, in full statue, the effigy of Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, in armour, all made of fine latten brass, doubly guilt.

At his head there is a swan with a Coronet around its neck; at his right foot a bear muzzled; at his left foot a griffin.

Over the said monument is a hearse of brass, gilt, made designedly to support a covering over the curious repository of the remains of this once great Earl.

Round about his tomb, stand fourteen images of brass, all gilt; under the feet of each of them is a coat of arms. These images are resembling fourteen lords and ladies, called weepers.

On the south side:

On the north side:

Besides these there stand round about, his tomb, eighteen lesser images, made of brass and gilt, resembling angels, with this label: Glory and for Praise to God - Mercy to the Dead.

The Inscription about his tomb, engraved in brass, in the uncouth diction and spelling, is as follows:

Preith devoutly for the Sowel whom God assoile of one of the moost worshipful Knightes, in his Dayles of Monhode and Conning. Richard Beauchamp, late Earl of Warrewyk. Lord Despenser of Bergevenny, of mony other grete Lordships; whose Body resteth here under this Tumbe in a ful seire voute of Stone set on the bare rooch, the which visited with longe sikness in the Castel of Roan therinne deceased full cristenty the last day of April, the yer of our Lord God MCCCCXXXIX. He being at that time lieutenant, genal and goverin of the Roialmes of Fraunce, and of the Duchie of Normandie by sufficient authorite of oure Sovaigne Lord the King Harry the sixth, the which body with grete deliberacon and ful worshipful Conduit by see and by lond was brought to Warrewik the iiii day of October the yer aboveseide and was leide with ful solemne exequies in a feir Chest made of Stone in this Church, afore the west dore of this Chapel according to his last Wille and Testament therein to reste, til this Chapel by him devised in his lief were made. At the whuche Chapel founded on the rooche and alle the Membres thereof, his Executors dede fully make and apparaille, by the autorite of his said wille & Testament, and thereafter by the same autorite then dide translate ful worshipfully the seide body into the vout abouesaide; honired be God therefore.

At the head of the tomb: Henry Beauchamp, Duke of Warwick, and Lady Cecil, his wife, daughter to Richard Nevil, Earl of Salisbury (age 39).

Richard Nevil, Earl of Salisbury;

Edmund Beaufort (age 33), Duke of Somerset;

Humphrey Stafford (age 36), Duke of Buckingham;

John Talbot (age 56), Earl of Shrewsbury;

Richard Nevil (age 10), Earl of Warwick.

At the foot of the tomb: George Nevil (age 32), Lord Lattimer, and Elizabeth (age 22), his wife, daughter to Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick.

Anne (age 12), daughter to Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, wife to Richard, Earl of Warwick.

Eleanor (age 30), daughter to Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, and wife to Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset;

Anne (age 31), daughter to Ralph Nevill, Earl of Westmoreland, wife to Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham;

Margaret (age 35), eldest daughter to Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, wife to John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury;

Alice (age 32), daughter and heiress to Thomas Montague, Earl of Salisbury, wife to Richard Nevil, Earl of Salisbury;

East Window of the Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map]. The glazing was carried out by John Prudde of Westminster, glazier to King Henry VI. All the glass had to be foreign, and of the best possible quality. No English glass was to be used and as little black, white or green as possible. The glazing was carried out somewhere in the years between 1442 and 1460, and the glass, which is certainly of the fifteenth century came either from France of from Flanders.

On 30th December 1469 George Neville 1st Baron Latimer of Snape (age 62) died at Well. He was buried at St Michaels Church, Well. His grandson Richard (age 1) succeeded 2nd Baron Latimer of Snape. Grave marker at the Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map].

In 1480 Elizabeth Beauchamp Baroness Latimer (age 63) died. Grave marker at the Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map].

On 19th July 1584 Robert Dudley (age 3) died at Wansted House, Essex. He was buried in the Beauchamp Chapel [Map]. The inscription:

Here resteth the Body af the Noble Impe Robert of Dudley , Baron of Denbigh , Sonne of Robert Erle of Leicester ; Nephew and Heir unto Ambrose Erle of Warwicke Brethren both sons of the mightie Prince John late Duke of Northumberland ; that was Cousin and Heir to Sir John Gray , Viscount Lisle , Cousin and Heir to Sir Thomas Falbot . Viscount Lisle . Ne- phew and Heir to the Lady Margaret Countess of Shrewsbury , the eldest Daughter and Coheir of the noble Earl of Warwick , Sir Richard Beauchamp , here interred. A Child of greate Parentage but of farr greater hope and towardness , taken from this transitory unto the eve everlasting Life in his tender Age , at Wanstead in Essex , on Sundaye the 19th of July , in the year of our Lord God 1584 - being the 26th yeare of the happy Reigne of the most virtuous and godly Princis Queene Eliza- bethe , and in this Place layed up among his noble Auncestors in assured hope of the general Resurrection.

Robert Dudley: In 1581 he was born to Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester and Lettice Knollys Countess Essex.

On 4th September 1588 Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (age 56) died at Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire. He was buried at Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map]. Earl of Leicester extinct.

On 10th October 1588 Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester (deceased) was buried at the Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map].

His wife Lettice Knollys Countess Essex (age 44) commissioned a monument with the inscription:

Sacred to the God of the Living. In certain hope of a resurrection in Christ, here lieth the most illustrious Robert Dudley, fifth son of John, Duke of Northumberland, Earl of Warwick, Viscount Lisle, & c. He was Earl of Leicester, Baron of Denbigh. Knight both of the order of the Garter and St. Michael. Master of the Horse to Queen Elizabeth, (who distinguished him by particular favor) soon after Steward of the Queen's Household, Privy councellor, Justice in Eyre of the Forests, Parks, Chases, & c. on this side Trent, from the year 1585 to the year 1587, Lieutenant and Captain General of the English Army sent by the said Queen Elizabeth to the Netherlands; Governor General and Commander of the Provinces united in that place; Lieutenant Governor of England against Philip the Second of Spain, in the year 1588, when he was preparing to invade England with a numerous fleet and army.

He gave up his soul to God his Saviour, on the 4th day of September, in the year of Salvation, 1588. His most sorrowful wife Letitia, daughter of Francis Knolles, Knight of the order of the Garter, and Treasurer to the Queen, through a sense of conjugal love and fidelity, hath put up this monument to the best and dearest of husbands.

Spe certa resorgendi in Christo, hic situs est illustrissimus Robertus Dudleyus, Johannis, Ducis Northumbriæ Comitis Wawwici, Vicecomitis: Insulæ, &c. filius quintus; Comes Lecestriæ; Baro Denbighie, ordinis tum S. Georgii, tum S. Michaelis, Eques auratus; Reginæ Elizabethæ [apud quem Singulari gratia florebat] Hippocomus, Regæ Aulæ subinde Seneschallus; ab intimis Consilijs: Forestarum, Parcorum, Chacearum, &c. citra Trentham summus Justiciarius: Exercitus Anglici a dicta Regina Eliz: missi in Belgio, ab Anno MDLXXXV, ad Annum MBLXXXVII. Locum tenens et Capitaneus generalis: Provinciarum Confederatarum, ibidem Gubinator generalis et præfectus; Regnique Angliæ locum tenens contra Phalipum II. Hispanum, numerosa Classe et Excercitu Angliam MD MDLXXXVIII. Invadentem.

Animam Deo servatori reddidit Anno salutis MDLXXXVIII. Die quarto Septembris. Optimo et charissimo marito, mœstissima uxor Leticia Francisci Knoiles ordinis S Georgii equitis aurati et Regiæ Thesauraij filia, amoris et conjugalis fidei ergo, posuit.

On 25th December 1634 Lettice Knollys Countess Essex (age 91) died. She was buried at the Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map] with her husband Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester - see Monument [Map] and Inscription [Map].

17th Century Last Judgement Mural above the entrance to the Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map].

On 25th March 1674 Catherine Dudley died. She was buried at St Michael and All Angels Church, Lilleshall [Map]. Memorial at the Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map] with the inscription: To the Memory of the Lady Katharine, late Wife of Sir Richard Levenson of Trentham in the County of Stafford, Knight of the Bath, one of the Daughters and Coheirs of Sir Robert Duddeley Knight, Son to Robert late Earl of Leicester, by Alicia his Wife, Daughter to Sir Thomas Leigh of Stoneley, Knight — Baronet, created Dutchess Duddeley by King Charles the First, in regard that her said Husband leaving this Realm, had the Title of a Duke conferr'd upon him by Ferdinand the 11th Emperor of Germany, which Honourable Lady taking notice these Tombs of her noble Ancestors being much blemish'd by consuming Time, but more by the rude Hands of Impious People, were in danger of utter Ruin, by the decay of this Chapel, if not timely prevented, did in her life time give fifty Pounds for its speedy Remedy. And by her last Will and Testament. bearing Date 18th of December 1673, bequeath forty Pounds per Annum, issuing out of her Manor of Foxley in the County of Northampton, for the perpetual Support and Preservation of these Monuments, in their proper State, the Surplusage to be for the poor Bretheren of her Grandfather s HospPoital in this Borough; Appointing William Dugdale of Blythe-Hall, in this County Esq; (who represented to her the Necessity of this good Work) and his Heirs, together with the Mayor of Warwick for the Time being, to be her Trustees therein.

Catherine Dudley: she was born to Robert Dudley and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley. On 23rd July 1629 Richard Leveson and she were married. She the daughter of Robert Dudley and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley.

In 1678 Henry Beaufoy (age 73) died. Monument in the Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map] with inscription: In a vault near this place, lieth the body of Henry Beaufoy, Esq . of Edmondscot, in the county of Warwick; descended of an ancient and noble family of Normandy, who came into England at the Conquest . He married Mary, the daughter of Sir Walter Walker, Bart . who left three sons, Hen. Hercules, and Walter, who lie buried with him in this vault, and four daughters, Mary, Lucy, Martha, and Elizabeth .

He had in this place a large Tomb erected by his widow for him, that was destroyed by the fire of Warwick; for which reason Martha, his last surviving daughter, at her decease, did at her own charge and desire, cause this Monument and Inscription to be erected, as a small remembrance of her much honoured father: she married Sir Sam. Garth, Knight, Dr. of Physic, and left one only daughter and heiress, Beaufoy, who married Wm . Boyle, Esq . son to the Hon. Henry Boyle, and the Right Hon. Lady Mary his wife - son and daughter of the Right Hon. the Earl of Orrery and Inchiquein, of the kingdom of Ireland. (Without date.)

Henry Beaufoy: Around 1605 he was born. In 1656 he and Mary Walker were married.

Before 1899. William Richardson (age 84). "Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map]".

Various standards of the Beauchamp and Beauchamp families at the Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map].