Warner monuments, 17th century

In the Chapel of St. John the Baptist are three large marble monuments, of the seventeenth century, to members of the same family. That to Bishop John Warner, who died in 1666, is by Joshua Marshall; that to Archdeacon John Lee Warner, who died in 1679, is by John Shorthose; but the sculptor of the third memorial, that to the Archdeacon's son, Lee Warner, who died in 1698, has not been identified.

For some months, Mrs. Diana Holbrook has been researching among the Cathedral archives for references to the building and its contents, and one extract that she found, dated September 1701, reads: 'Rec'd of Mr. Warner Lee's exec. by ye hands of Mr.

Broup, stonecutter, for setting up in Merton Chapel a Monument to Mr. Warner Lee.

£10'. (Ref. DRc/FTb/35).

This obviously refers to the fee charged by the Chapter. The reference in itself is not conclusive that Broxup was the sculptor of the monument, but some years ago, I was looking at a large pen and ink and wash drawing, among the Sackville papers deposited in the Kent Archives at Maidstone. This is the original design for a monument to Sir John Knatchbull (died 1698), in Mersham church, near Ashford, and which was commissioned by Edward Sackville on 8 May, 1700, from one John Broxup. The drawing is for mural monument with volutes at the sides, and at the top, a tented canopy whose curtains are drawn aside by two putti in order to reveal a painted coat of arms. On either side are flambeaux, and at the very top, a rather oversized heraldic achievement with exuberant mantling. John Broxup agreed to erect the marble monument exactly to this design for eighty guineas. (Ref. U 951/E 227).

Study of the design-drawing shows that the monument to Lee Warner is virtually identical in many respects to that in Mersham, except that the Rochester monument is larger, as it is floor-standing, rather than being placed on a wall. The Warner monument has recently been cleaned, and the vestiges of its gilding and colouring are now more obvious. As it is rather unlikely that it has been repainted during the last three hundred years, one must presume that this gold-leaf and paint is the original.

So far, these two monuments are the only known works of an unsuspected mason-sculptor working in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, but perhaps, now, other works by the bearer of such a distinctive name, will eventually be identified.

More information found by Mrs. Holbrook refers to the monument to Archdeacon Warner. When this was erected, it stood against an internal wall at the south end of the chapel but, following the discovery behind this wall of the concealed medieval monument to Bishop John de Sheppey, it became necessary to move the Archdeacon's memorial to another site in the chapel. Accordingly, in 1825, 'Mr. Lee Warner, the present representative of the family was, out of courtesy, written to upon the subject of the removal, and he readily assented to the intention of the Chapter', (Ref. DRc/Emf/ 135).

It seems that, hitherto, it has always been supposed that the Cathedral Surveyor revealed Bishop Sheppey's monument early in 1825, but another reference noted by Mrs.

Holbrook is dated 10 July 1824, 'Bishop Sheppey's effigy and monument discovered by Mr. Cottingham the Architect'. (Ref. DRc/Acz 1, p. 68).

Dr. John Physick, CBE, FSA, worked at the Victoria and Albert Museum from 1948 to 1983, becoming Deputy Director. He has served on many committees, including the Cathedrals Advisory Committee, the Rochester Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches, and the Fabric Advisory Committee for Rochester Cathedral. He has written various books on antiquarian subjects, and edited the second edition of 'Sculpture in Britain 1530-1830' in 1988.