Nicholas and Robert Leke, Earls of Scarsdale

Nicholas Leke (or Leake) 2nd Earl of Scarsdale and his son Robert, 3rd Earl of Scarsdale are buried in the vault of Henry Carey, Baron Hunsdon in St John the Baptist's chapel in Westminster Abbey. Neither have a monument but their name, and those of their wives, are inscribed on the vaultstone in front of the Hunsdon monument.

Nicholas was a son of Francis Leke, of Sutton in Scarsdale in Derbyshire, 1st Earl of Scarsdale, and his wife Anne Carey. He was baptised on 1st October 1612 and took the side of Parliament in the English Civil War. His wife was Frances Rich, daughter of the Earl of Warwick and he succeeded to the title in 1655. Clarendon, the historian, described him as a "boorish, ignorant man with a very unpleasant face". He was buried on 4th February 1681 and she on 21st November 1692. Nicholas' sister Catherine, wife of Cuthbert Morley, was buried on 29th January 1693.

Nicholas's son Robert was born on 9th March 1654 and styled Lord Deincourt until he succeeded to the title. He was a Member of Parliament for Newark, a captain in the army, and Keeper of Sherwood Forest and took up arms against James II. Mary Lewis, his wife, was born in 1658 and died of a malignant fever and was buried on 20th February 1684. Their only child Frances was buried on 15th March 1681. He was buried on 4th January 1708 and a nephew succeeded to his title. All dates are given in New Style dating.

Further reading

History of Parliament online for Robert

Location

Chapel of St John Baptist

Memorial Type

Vault

Nicholas and Robert Leke, Earls of Scarsdale
Earls of Scarsdale on vaultstone

This image can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library

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