__NOTOC__ The Chatham Vase is a stone sculpture by John Bacon commissioned as a memorial to

William Pitt the Elder William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, (15 November 170811 May 1778) was a British statesman of the Whig group who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768. Historians call him Chatham or William Pitt the Elder to distinguish ...

by his wife, Hester, Countess of Chatham. It was originally erected at their house in Burton Pynsent in 1781. It was subsequently moved to Stowe House but sold in 1848, then purchased in 1857 by a member of the family and installed at

Revesby Abbey Revesby Abbey was a Cistercian monastery near the village of Revesby in Lincolnshire, England. The abbey was founded in 1143 by William de Roumare, Earl of Lincoln, and the first monks came from Rievaulx Abbey. After the Dissolution of the Mo ...

. It was moved to the grounds of

Chevening House Chevening House () is a large country house in the parish of Chevening in Kent, in Southeast England. Built between 1617 and 1630 to a design reputedly by Inigo Jones and greatly extended after 1717, it is a Grade I listed building. The surrou ...

in 1934, where it currently resides. It is currently grade II listed.

Pedestal inscription

The inscription on the pedestal reads:

:Sacred to pure affection :This simple urn :Stands a witness of unceasing grief for him who :Excelling in whatever is so admirable :and adding to the exercise of the sublimest virtues :The sweet charm of refined sentiment and polished wit :By gay social commerce :Rendered beyond comparison happy :The course of domestic life :and bestowed a felicity inexpressible on her :Whose faithful love was blessed in a pure return :That raised her above every other joy but the parental one :and that still shared with him :His generous country with public monuments has eternised his fame :This humble tribute is but to soothe the sorrowing breast of private woepedestal, Chatham Vase, Chevening, 17 June 2006.

References

{{Coord , 51.2960, 0.1347, region:GB_type:landmark, display=title Monuments and memorials in England Individual vases