History

John was the eldest son of Paul Methuen (d.1667) of Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire and his wife Grace (Ashe). He was educated at Oxford and became a lawyer. In 1672 he married Mary Chevers. John was appointed a master in chancery and in 1691 was made envoy to Portugal. He was also Lord Chancellor of Ireland and later Ambassador Extraordinary to Portugal when he concluded what is often known as the ‘Methuen (or Port Wine) Treaty’. On 13 July 1706 he died at Lisbon and his body was later returned to England for burial in the south choir aisle of the Abbey on 17 September 1708. His daughter Isabella was buried with him on 29 April 1711, aged 29.

His son Paul was born about 1672 and gained diplomatic experience with his father in Lisbon. He was envoy to Portugal and Ambassador there, Minister at Turin, Ambassador to Spain and Morocco, Lord of the Admiralty and a Knight of the Order of the Bath. His Bath stall plate is in the Lady Chapel at the Abbey. He died unmarried and was buried near his father. His estates passed to his cousin Paul Methuen.

The joint memorial of white and coloured marbles is by the sculptor Michael Rysbrack and is in a window bay of the south choir aisle. The inscription reads:

“Near this place lies the body of JOHN METHUEN Esqr. who died abroad in the service of his country Anno Dom. 1706. And also that of his son Sir PAUL METHUEN Knight of the Bath who died April 11th 1757 in the 85th year of his age”.

The coat of arms above is “argent, three wolves heads erased”.

A photograph of the monument can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004