Sir Oliver Lambert & family

Sir Oliver Lambert or Lambart, politician, was buried in Westminster Abbey but the register just gives the location as "in the monuments". This was probably in one of the ambulatories. No grave inscription was recorded for him in early guidebooks and he has no monument. He died while on a visit to London on 23rd May 1618 and was buried on 10th June.

He was the eldest son of Walter Lambert of Southampton and his first wife Rose (Wallop). He married Hester Fleetwood and had two sons (Charles who became 2nd Baron and died in 1660, and Carew) and three daughters (Jane and Rose survived him). While campaigning in Ireland under Sir John Norris he was wounded and taken prisoner for a time and then went to the Low Countries where he was governor of Doesburg. In 1596 at the sacking of Cadiz, where he had served as a colonel and quarter master, he was knighted by the Earl of Essex. He also served with Essex in Ireland and was commander of forces in Leinster and governor of Connaught. He was Member of Parliament for Southampton but acquired large estates in Ireland. In early 1618 he was created Lord Lambert, Baron of Cavan in the Irish peerage.

His great great grandson the Honorable Oliver Lambert (Lambart), his wife Frances and two daughters, were buried in the north transept of the Abbey but the grave inscription has worn away. The grave was in the centre aisle (near where Lord Palmerston was later buried). In an early 19th century book it is recorded as:

The Hon. Oliver Lambart, Esq., second son of Charles, Earl of Cavan: he died April 18 1738 aged 55. Mrs Sophia Lambert, daughter of the above Oliver, who died May 11 1749 aged 32 and Mrs Frances Lambert, his relict [widow], who died January 3 1750 in her 67th year.

The arms carved were "Three narcissi pierced" for Lambert, impaling "party per pale three lions rampant" for Herbert, with the crest of a sagittary. Oliver was a Justice of the Peace in Westminster and his wife had been the mistress of the Duke of Buckingham. His daughter Castiliana was buried in 1758 but she has no marker.

Further information for Sir Oliver and Charles

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - Sir Oliver Lambert

History of Parliament online