History

Sir Robert Howard, poet, dramatist and historian, was buried at the entrance to the chapel of St John the Baptist in Westminster Abbey on 8 September 1698. A modern stone in the chapel records his name and date of burial as he has no monument.

He was born in 1626, sixth son of Thomas, 1st Earl of Berkshire (who was buried in the Abbey on 20 July 1669) and his wife Lady Elizabeth Cecil, daughter of the Earl of Exeter (who was buried on 24 August 1672). His brother Edward was also a playwright and his sister Elizabeth married John Dryden the poet. He was educated at Oxford and knighted for gallantry during the English Civil War. His first wife was Anne Kingsmill (of their six children only Thomas survived his father), his second was Honoria O'Brien, his third Mary Uphill and his fourth Annabella Dyve, a maid of honour to Princess Mary. He held many posts including Privy Councillor, Secretary to the Treasury and was buried with the title Auditor of the Receipt of the Exchequer. His Poems was published in 1660 and his plays included The Committee and The Indian Queen. He also wrote History of the reigns of Edward and Richard II.

A photo of the vaultstone can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.

Further reading:

"Sir Robert Howard" by H.J.Olivier, 1963

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004.