History

In the north choir aisle of Westminster Abbey is a marble cartouche near the grave of Charles Williams. There was formerly a winged skull beneath it. The Latin inscription can be translated:

"Charles Williams, Esquire, of Caerleon in the county of Monmouth, died the 29th of August 1720 aged 87. He was truly a Christian, a strenuous defender of the Church of England, a lover of his country and defender of public liberty; towards the poor, those especially of his neighbourhood, devoutly liberal, to his friends generously munificent, particularly to him who out of a grateful soul erected this monument. J.H."

He lived in a large manor house in his home town but had to flee when he fatally wounded his cousin in a duel. Friends smuggled him to Bristol where he sailed to Turkey and became a wealthy merchant in the fig trade. In the reign of Elizabeth I he was given a pardon and returned to London where he died. The school he founded in Caerleon still exists and he left his fortune to John Hanbury who put up the memorial.

Sir Charles Hanbury-Williams.

John Hanbury's son was later buried near to Charles on 10 November 1759 but has no memorial or readable gravestone. His mother was Bridget (Ayscough) and was born on 8 December 1708 assuming the surname of Williams in accordance with his godfather's will. He was ambassador to various courts and was created a Knight of the Bath. He married Frances Coningsby in 1732 and she was buried in the Abbey on 24 December 1781. His will was proved by his brother George and his daughters Frances and Charlotte.

A photo of the memorial can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.