Richard Gouland

The Reverend Richard Gouland (or Gowland), Keeper of the Library at Westminster Abbey, is buried in the north cloister. His black and white marble monument includes a skull and drapery. The inscription is now partly illegible but reads:

In eternal memory. Underneath lieth buried the body of Mr Richard Gouland, M[aster] of Arts and the first keeper of the Library of this Col[lege] to which he hath given a large legacie to be bestowed on some choice bookes. A man truly orthodox, of an undissembled pietie [piety] and uprightnesse of a singular candour and fidelitie to his frindes [friends], well skild [skilled] in the languages, and otherwise very well furnished with the best and choisest learninge, who after a painfull and wearisome pilgrimage in a weake and sickly bodie departed this life to that seate of the blessed the 10th of November 1659.

His Life

Richard was baptised at St Swithin in Lincoln on 16th October 1600, son of John. He studied at St Catherine's college Cambridge. He was appointed Keeper of the Abbey Library which had been endowed and furnished by Dean John Williams. He wrote out a catalogue of the books then belonging to the Library in 1623. In 1625 his salary was raised to 20 pounds per annum and he was granted a small room which then existed between the library and Westminster School hall. In 1632 he was installed a prebendary at Lincoln cathedral.

He died unmarried. His sister Alice married Reverend Henry Page, vicar of Ledbury.

Further reading

His will is at The National Archives, Kew, Surrey