Tomb of Jekyll family

Description

The memorial was designed to commemorate the burial place of three members of the Jekyll family who died within a short time of one another – Sir Herbert Jekyll (22 November 1846-29 September 1932), Gertrude Jekyll (29 November 1843 – 8 December 1932), and Agnes Jekyll (Lady Jekyll) (12 October 1860 – 28 January 1937). Their three stone markers line the front of the tomb. Gertrude Jekyll’s marker is on the far left with the stacked inscription “ARTIST/ GARDENER / CRAFTSWOMAN” in addition to her name and dates. At the projecting base, the inscription reads “NON OMNIS MORIAR”, a reference from an Ode by Horace, translated as “I shall not wholly die” or “Not all of me will die.” Agnes Jekyll’s inscription reads “WIFE OF HERBERT JEKYLL/ D.B.E. _.P/ LADY OF JUSTICE, OF THE ORDER OF ST JOHN” along with her name and dates. Along the base is the inscription “NE OUBLIE” – never forget. Sir Herbert Jekyll’s stone, to the far right, carries his name and dates plus the inscription “COLONEL R.E K.C.M.G/ CHANCELLOR OF THE ORDER/ OF ST JOHN OF JERUSALEM.” The inscription at the base is “IN DEO CONFIDO” – I trust in God. The three stones sit at the front of a stone plinth. A U-shaped stone wall encloses the back of the memorial. Two pulvinated stone rails are surmounted by a squared stone top rail bearing the inscription “In remembrance of Herbert and Gertrude Jekyll long time dwellers in their homes in Munstead who passed to their rest in the Autumn of 1932. /Their joy was in the work of their hands: their memorial is the beauty which lives after them./Also of Agnes Jekyll whose spirit ever dwelt in loving kindness.” Below this inscription, added later, is “memorial to Francis Jekyll, d. 1965, only son of Herbert and Agnes.” A stone basin rests at the center of the back wall. Jane Brown notes a “hint of German Modernism” in the design, while others have seen the influence of the Great Stupa at Sanchi in India.

The tomb of the Jekyll family is located in the churchyard of St. John, Busbridge, a short distance from Munstead Wood and Munstead House. (Contributor: Robyn Prater)

Also by him, the large Jekyll family enclosure: three headstones in front (for Gertrude †1932, Sir Herbert †1932 and Lady Agnes †1937) of an intricate composition of tazza on square piers and stone balustrade behind, oddly like Soane translated into the blunt obtuse forms of the 1930s. (O’Brien et al., 2022, p.162)

GODALMING BRIGHTON ROAD SU 9742 (south west side, off), Busbridge 16/39 Jekyll Memorial approx. 5 metres south-east of south-east corner of Church of St John the Baptist GV II

Memorial. c.1932. By E Lutyens for Herbert and Gertrude Jekyll. Ashlar. Square enclosure with low plinth wall. Rising from front plinth and 3 plain, shouldered, slabs with projecting bases which commemorate Gertrude, d.1932 (on left), Sir Herbert, d.1932, on right, and Agnes, wife of Sir Herbert, d.1860. Rear and rear part of side walls have panels each with 2 pulvinated rails, the top rail inscribed: ‘In remembrance of Herbert and Gertrude Jekyll long time dwellers in their homes in Munstead who passed to their rest in the Autumn of 1932. / Their joy was in the work of their hands: their memorial is the beauty which lives after them. / Also of Agnes Jekyll whose spirit ever dwelt in loving kindness’. Added below inscription is memorial to Francis Jekyll, d.1965, only son of Herbert and Agnes. Historic England, list entry 1044532)

Bibliography

O’Brien, C., Nairn, I. and Cherry, B. (2022) Surrey. Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Historic England. JEKYLL MEMORIAL approx.IMATELY 5 METRES SOUTH EAST OF SOUTH EAST CORNER OF CHURCH OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST. [Online] Available from: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1044532

Also Cited In

Listing Grade

II

Listing Reference

1044532

Client