History

Anne Stanhope, Duchess of Somerset is buried in St Nicholas' chapel in Westminster Abbey and has a large monument there. This is mainly of alabaster with an effigy of the Duchess in a red ermine-lined robe wearing a coronet. At her feet is the crest of a blue triple-towered castle, from the Stanhope coat of arms. The monument consists of columns, obelisks and shields of arms including those of the Seymour and Stanhope families. Below the uppermost shield was once the date 1588, being that of the erection of the monument by her son. The monument was cleaned and restored in the early 1960s.The inscription, which also says  a lot about her husband, is given in both Latin and contemporary English:

"Heare lieth entombed the noble duchesse of Somerset, Anne, deere spouse unto the renowned prince Edward Duke of Somerset, Earle of Hertford, Viscount Beauchampe and Baron Seymour, Compaignon [Companion] of the most famous knightly Order of the Garter: uncle to King Edward the Sixt, Gouvernor of His Roial Person and most worthie Protector of all his realmes, dominions, and subiectes: Leiutenant Generall of all his armies: threasoror and Erle Marschall of England, Gouvernor and capitayne of the Isles of Guernsey and Jersey: under whose prosperous conduct, glorious victory hath ben so often and so fortunatly obteyned over the Scottes, vanquished at Edinburgh, Leth [Leith], and Musselborough Field.

A princesse discended of noble lignage, beinge daughter of the worthie knight Sr Edward Stanhope, by Elizabeth his wyfe that was daughter of Sr Foulke Bourghchier Lord Fitzwarin, from whome our moderne earles of Bathe ar spronge, sonne was he unto Willm. Lord Fitzwarin, that was brother to Henry, Earle of Essex and Ihon [John] Lord Berners: whome Willm. their sire sometyme Earle of Ev in Normandy, begat Anne the sole heire of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, yonger sonne to the mighty Prince, Kinge Edward the Third, and of his wyfe Aleanore, coheire unto the tenth Humphrey De Bohun that was Erle of Hereford, Essex and Northampton, High Constable of England.

Many children bare this lady unto her Lord, of either sort: to witte Edward, Erle of Hertford, Henry, and a younger Edward: Anne, Countesse of Warwike, Margaret, Jane, Mary, Katherine, and Elizabeth. And with firme faith in Christ in most mylde maner renred she this life at XC yeres of age on Easter day, the sixtenth of Aprill Anno.M.CCCCC.LXXXVII.

The Erle of Hertford, Edward her eldest sonne, in this dolefull dutie carefull and diligent, doth consecrate this monument to his deere parent: not for her honor wherewith lyvinge she did abounde and nowe departed flourisheth: but for the dutifull love he beareth her, and for his laste testification therof".

She was the second wife of Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, brother of Jane Seymour, queen of Henry VIII. After the death of Henry the Duke was appointed guardian to his nephew King Edward VI and Protector of the Realm. He was later deprived of this office and imprisoned in the Tower of London. Being then accused of high treason he was beheaded. Anne married secondly her late husband's steward Francis Newdigate and died on 16 April 1587. Her son Edward was born on 22 May 1539. She has been described as 'a mannish, or rather devilish, woman...for pride monstrous, exceeding subtle and violent'.

A photo of the monument can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library

Thomas of Woodstock and Eleanor de Bohun are buried in the Abbey and have entries on our website.