History

In the chapel of St Andrew, off the north transept of Westminster Abbey, is a very large monument, about 24 feet high, to the memory of Henry (Norris or Norreys) 1st Baron Norris of Rycote (?1525-1601) and his wife Margaret, daughter of John (Williams), 1st Baron Williams of Thame. His mother was Mary (Fiennes) and his father Henry was executed by Henry VIII in 1536 for allegedly being a lover of Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth I showed Henry and Margaret particular favour, appointing him ambassador to France and creating him Baron Norris in 1572.

The monument, by sculptor Isaac James, has no inscription and Henry and Margaret are both buried at Rycote chapel in Oxfordshire, in the grounds of their house.

Either side of their recumbent effigies kneel their six sons in armour. Only their third son Sir Edward Norris, Governor of Ostend, survived his father, dying in 1603. He is shown kneeling and looking upwards (not visible in the picture), whereas the other sons have bowed heads and praying hands to indicate they were deceased: William (d.1579), Marshal of Berwick, Sir John (?1547-1597), a celebrated military commander, Henry (1554-99), Maximilian (d.1593) and Sir Thomas (1556-99) who were all soldiers. The carved shield on the top section of the monument includes the coat of arms of Norris of Rycote, supported by two monkeys. The square pedestal depicts military scenes and is surmounted by a small statue of Fame.

The family estates passed to Francis son of William Norris and his wife Elizabeth. Their daughter Elizabeth, Baroness Norris was buried in St Nicholas' chapel in the Abbey in 1645 as was her daughter Bridget in 1657.

Photos of the monument can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.

Further reading (for Henry and his sons):

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004

"Precursors of Nelson. British Admirals of the 18th century" for Sir John Norris, by P.Le Fevre & R.Harding, 2000.

Rycote chapel is in the care of English Heritage www.english-heritage.org.uk