Plaque

Reburied parliamentarians

Erection date: 16/12/1966

Inscription

This tablet is erected by the Cromwell Association to the memory of the undermentioned whose remains were disinterred from Westminster Abbey at the time of the restoration of King Charles II and were in September 1661 buried in this churchyard of St Margaret’s.
{See Subjects commemorated for the list of 21 names, presented in three columns in alphabetical sequence.}

When Charles II was restored to the throne he issued Royal Warrant, dated 9 September 1661 which brought about the disinterment of the bodies of regicides {those who had beheaded his father King Charles I} who had been interred in Westminster Abbey since 1641 and the reburial of (most of) their bodies in an unmarked pit in the neighbouring St Margaret's churchyard.

Those on this list include: 6 politicians, 7 senior members of the armed forces, and 3 of the church, one poet/historian and 4 female family members.

Cobbett's Complete Collection of State Trials ... (ref:1337) says that the bodies were dug up on 12 and 14 September and contains an early list of those that were dug up, giving some brief information about each person, which is helpful in identifying them.

A closely related memorial exists inside the Abbey. From Westminster Abbey: "In what is now called the RAF chapel a 19th century stone was laid down, usually covered by a carpet, recording the names of those buried in the vault, the top part of which says: In this vault was interred Oliver Cromwell 1658 and in or near it Henry Ireton, his son in law 1651, Elizabeth Cromwell, his mother 1654, Jane Desborough, his sister 1656... These were removed in 1661 followed by a list of officers of his army and council were also buried and then removed."

That same website notes that the vault of Cromwell's favourite daughter, Elizabeth Claypole (d. 6 August 1658), escaped the notice of the disinterrers and remains in the Abbey, undisturbed.

See Oliver Cromwell for what happened to his body and those of Henry Ireton and John Bradshaw.

Site: Reburied parliamentarians (1 memorial)

SW1, Broad Sanctuary, St Margarets

The parish church for the people of Westminster has been on this site for about 900 years. The current St Margaret's church, the third on the site, was built in 1523. Since 1614 it has been the church of the House of Commons. In 1973 Parliament placed it under the care of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster.

Each November the lawn in front of this plaque is turned into a Field of Remembrance. This started in 1928. The lawn is divided into about 200 plots, each one for a particular regiment, etc. and members of the public are invited to remember individual soldiers by planting a small cross, or star of David, etc. in the appropriate plot.

Credit for this entry to: Bob Baker

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Reburied parliamentarians

Subjects commemorated i

Admiral Robert Blake

Admiral. The date given is his baptism, in Bridgwater, Somerset where there i...

Read More

Denis Bond

Probably born Dorset. Sat in the House of Commons (MP for Dorchester) in two ...

Read More

Col. Nicholas Boscawen

From Cornwall. A colonel in Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentary army. Buried in W...

Read More

Mary Bradshaw

Born as Mary Marbury. Married John Bradshaw in 1638. He was President of the ...

Read More

King Charles II

Reigned: 1660 - 1685. Born at St James's Palace. The son of the beheaded Char...

Read More

Show all 22

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Reburied parliamentarians

Created by i

Nearby Memorials

Stephen Lawrence  - Eltham

Stephen Lawrence - Eltham

SE9, Well Hall Road, 320

The plaque has been vandalised several times. The original one had to be replaced as it was damaged beyond repair. Gordon W. Newton is a ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Fred Perry - Meadvale Road

Fred Perry - Meadvale Road

W5, Meadvale Road, 38a, The Brentham Club

Plaque unveiled by Roger Draper, Chief Executive of the Lawn Tennis Association.

1 subject commemorated, 3 creators
Lorne House

Lorne House

E5, Lower Clapton Road, 126-128

Not the style, but the high quality of this plaque reminds us of the one in Bessborough Gardens, unveiled by the Prince of Wales the year...

1 subject commemorated, 4 creators
Building survived the Great Fire

Building survived the Great Fire

WC2, Strand, 229-230

Londonist points out how important correct use of English can be: "This was not the only Strand building to survive the Great Fire... the...

1 subject commemorated
Rio Ferdinand

Rio Ferdinand

SE15, Peckham Park Road, Friary Estate

The plaque overlooks a patch of grass and a fenced concrete playground where Ferdinand played as a child.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator