Memorial details

Memorial type
Sculpture
District
City Of Westminster
Town
Westminster
County
Greater London
Country
England
Commemoration
18th Century Wars (1700-1799)
Lost
Not lost
WM Reference
91567

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Current location

South choir aisle
Westminster Abbey
Victoria Street
Westminster
City Of Westminster
Greater London
SW1P 3PA
England

OS Grid Ref: TQ 30079 79487
Denomination: Church of England

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Description
Large, marble sculpture comprising a be-wigged representation of Shovell in Roman attire reclining on a couch, which stands upon an rectangular carved plinth with a shipwreck carved in relief. Two pairs of green marble columns support swagged drapes meeting at the top in a semi-circular fixture surmounted by a lion's head. Two winged cherubs stand on top of the columns, one holding a shield of arms. Ornamentation is too elaborate to describe and best viewed on the image
Inscription
The first line of the inscription is in upper case, the remainder in lower case SR CLOUDESLY SHOVELL KNT /Rear Admirall of Great Britain /and Admirall and Commander in Chief of the Fleet:/ the just rewards /of his long and faithfull services. /He was /deservedly beloved of his Country /and esteem'd, tho' dreaded, by the enemy/ who had often experienced his conduct and courage. /Being shipwreckt /on the rocks of Scylly/ in his voyage from Thoulon /the 22d of October 1707, at night,/ in the 57th year of his age /his fate was lamented by all /but especially the /sea faring part of the Nation /to whom he was /a generous patron and a worthy example./ His body was flung on the shoar /and buried with others in the sands; /but being soon taken up was plac'd under this monument /which his Royall Mistress has caus'd to be erected /to commemorate /his steady loyalty and extraordinary vertues.
Inscription legible?
yes
Names on memorial
Shovell, Cloudesley
See details
Commemorations
  • 18th Century Wars (1700-1799)
    Total names on memorial: 1
    Served and returned: 0
    Died: 1
    Exact count: yes
    Information shown: Rank, title, forename, surname
    Order of information: Rank, title, forename, surname
Components
  • Sculpture
    Measurements: height C6100 mm
    Materials: Marble
Listing information
Condition
Trust fund/Scholarship
No
Purpose: Unknown or N/A
Responsibility
Westminster Abbey

This record comprises all information held by IWM’s War Memorials Register for this memorial. Where we hold a names list for the memorial, this information will be displayed on the memorial record. Please check back as we are adding more names to the database.

This information is made available under a Creative Commons BY-NC licence.

This means you may reuse it for non-commercial purposes only and must attribute it to us using the following statement:

© WMR-91567

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