History

In the chapel of St Edmund in Westminster Abbey is a marble monument to John Paul Howard, 4th Earl of Stafford. The monument is by Robert Chambers and is stained with the arms and badges of families connected with the Howards. The inscription reads:

"In this chappel lies interr'd all that was mortal of the most illustrious and most benevolent JOHN PAUL HOWARD Earl of STAFFORD, who in 1738 married ELIZABETH daughter of A.EWENS of the county of Somerset, Esquire, by Eliz. his wife eldest daughter of JOHN ST ALBYN of Alfoxton in the same county, Esquire. His heart was as truly great and noble as his high descent: faithfull to his God, a lover of his countrey, a relation to relations, a detester of detraction, a friend to mankind: naturally generous and compassionate; his liberality and his charity to the poor were without bounds. We therefore piously hope that at the last day his body will be received in glory into the eternal tabernacles. Being snatch'd away suddenly by death, which he had long meditated and expected with constancy, he went to a better life the first of April 1762, having lived sixty one years nine months and six days. The Countess Dowager, in testimony of her great affection and respect to her lord's memory, has caused this monument to be placed here. The figures round the inscription are the ancient badges of honour belonging to the STAFFORD family, who descend by ten different marriages from the royal blood of ENGLAND and FRANCE"

He was the second son of the Hon.John Stafford-Howard and his wife Mary (Southcote) and succeeded his nephew Henry as 4th Earl of Stafford. He was born on 26 June 1700 and in 1738 married Elizabeth Mary Michael daughter of Abraham Ewens. At his death the earldom of Stafford in his line became extinct. The graves of himself and his wife are marked by small stones in the floor of the chapel.

Mary, Countess of Stafford

His grandmother Mary, Countess of Stafford, a lineal descendant of Eleanor de Bohun, is buried next to her in the centre of the chapel. Her white marble gravestone was raised up on a low altar tomb in the 19th century. The inscription can be translated:

"Mary Countess of Stafford, wife of William Viscount Stafford, descended from the royal stock of Thomas of Woodstock and Eleanor de Bohun, Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and from the Barons and Earls of Stafford, and a daughter and heir of the house of the Dukes of Buckingham, lies buried near the ashes of her ancestor. She died on the Ides of January in the 74 year of her age, and of our Redemption 1693"

She was created a countess in her own right eight years after the execution of her husband for alleged treason in 1680.

Henry, Earl of Stafford

On the wall is a varigated marble monument with a coat of arms for Mary and her son Henry. The Latin inscription can be translated:

"This monument was erected by order of the most honourable Henry, Earl of Stafford, in memory of his beloved mother Mary, Countess of Stafford, whose body lies buried near this spot in this chapel; so also is deposited here the body of the aforesaid Henry, Earl of Stafford, who died 27th day of April year of our Lord 1719 in his 72nd year"

His grave is also marked in the chapel. There is also one for Lady Mary de Rohan Chabot, daughter of William, 2nd Earl of Stafford who was buried on 23 May 1769.

Photos of the monuments and gravestone of Mary can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.