The de Grey Mausoleum in

Flitton Flitton (Flichtam, Fllite, Flute) is a small village in Bedfordshire, England, which forms part of the parish of Flitton and Greenfield. The village derives its name from the River Flit which flows close by it. It is notable primarily as the home ...

Bedfordshire Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

, is one of the largest sepulchral chapels in the country. The Mausoleum contains over twenty monuments to the de Grey family who lived in nearby

Wrest Park Wrest Park is a country estate located in Silsoe, Bedfordshire, England. It comprises Wrest Park, a Grade I listed country house, and Wrest Park Gardens, also Grade I listed, formal gardens surrounding the mansion. History Thomas Carew (1 ...

. The cruciform Mausoleum has its nave set against the north side of the chancel of the adjacent church of St John the Baptist and its south transept overlaps the east end. The oldest part of Mausoleum was built circa 1614, the eastern parts were added in 1705. The architect Edward Shepherd worked on the building during 1739–40. It is a Grade I

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

, a

scheduled monument In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change. The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...

. and is in the guardianship of

English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, medieval castles, Roman forts and country houses. The charity states that i ...

who open it to the public.

The monuments

Henry Grey, 6th Earl of Kent Henry Grey, 6th Earl of Kent (1541 – 31 January 1615) was an English peer. He was a son of Henry Grey (1520–1545) and Margaret St. John and grandson of Henry Grey, 4th Earl of Kent. He was a younger brother of Reginald Grey, 5th Earl of Ken ...

and his countess Mary Cotton (1614) *

Henry Grey, 10th Earl of Kent Henry Grey, 10th Earl of Kent (24 November 1594 – 28 May 1651), known as Lord Ruthin from 1639 to 1643, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640 and succeeded to the title Earl of Kent in 1643. Doyle's ''The Official Bar ...

(1651) and his countess Arabella (1698) *Lady Elizabeth Talbot (1651) *Lady Jane Hart (1673) *Charles Grey (1623) and his son Henry Grey (1639), slabs *Lady Henrietta de Grey (1703) *Henry de Grey (1717) *Lady Amabel de Grey (1727) *Lady Anne de Grey (1770) *

Anthony Grey, Earl of Harold Anthony Grey, 3rd Baron Lucas, styled Earl of Harold (21 February 1695 – 21 July 1723) was a British peer and courtier. Grey was the eldest son of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent, and his wife, Jemima Crew. On 17 February 1718, Anthony married ...

(1723), by Dowyer * Thomas Philip, 2nd Earl de Grey (1859), by Matthew Noble * Henrietta Frances, Countess de Grey (1848), by Terence Farrell *

Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent, KG, PC (16715 June 1740) was a British politician and courtier. None of his sons outlived him, so his new title became extinct on his death. Though the house he built at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire has gone, parts ...

and Marquess de Grey (1740), by Edward Shepard, effigy of the duke attributed to J. Michael Rysbrack *

Jemima Grey, Duchess of Kent Jemima Grey, Duchess of Kent (1675 – 2 July 1728), formerly Jemima Crew, was the first wife of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent. Jemima was a daughter of Thomas Crew, 2nd Baron Crew, and his second wife, the former Anne Armine, herself the daughter ...

, the duke's first wife (1728) *Sophia de Grey (1748) *Ann Sophia de Grey (1780) *

Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke, PC, FRS (9 March 1720 – 16 May 1790), styled Viscount Royston between 1754 and 1764, was an English politician and writer. Life The eldest son of Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, he was educated at ...

(1790), by Thomas Banks *

Jemima Yorke, 2nd Marchioness Grey Jemima Yorke, 2nd Marchioness Grey and Countess of Hardwicke (; 9 October 1723 – 10 January 1797), was a British peeress. Life and family She was a daughter of John Campbell, 3rd Earl of Breadalbane and Holland, and his first wife, Lady A ...

(1797) *

Amabel Hume-Campbell, 1st Countess de Grey Amabel Hume-Campbell, 1st Countess de Grey, 5th Baroness Lucas (; 23 January 1751 – 4 March 1833) was a British diarist and political writer who was a countess and baroness in her own right. Had she been male, she would have served in the ...

(1833) *

Mary Robinson, Baroness Grantham Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham PC (30 November 173820 July 1786) was a British statesman. He notably served as Foreign Secretary between 1782 and 1783. Background and education Grantham was born in Vienna, Austria, the son of Thomas Robi ...

(1830) *Harry Grey, son of George, Earl of Kent (1545), a brass removed from the church

References

* *

External links

* {{official website, https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/de-grey-mausoleum-flitton/

Teachers' resource pack: English Heritage
Mausoleums in England Monuments and memorials in Bedfordshire English Heritage sites in Bedfordshire Grade I listed buildings in Bedfordshire Grade I listed monuments and memorials

The monuments

See also

References

External links