Sir James Oughton

On a pillar in the north ambulatory of Westminster Abbey, near General Wolfe's monument, is a marble tablet to the memory of Lieutenant General Sir James Oughton. The sculptor was probably Richard Hayward as the memorial is signed R.H. The inscription reads:

Sacred to the memory of Sir James Adolphus Oughton, Lieutenant General; Commander in Chief of His Majesty's forces in North Britain [Scotland], Colonel of the XXXI Regiment of Foot, Lieutenant Governor of the island of Antigua, and Knight of the Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath. He departed this life the XIV day of April MDCCLXXX, in the LXI year of his age.

He was baptised in London on 27th October 1719, an illegitimate son of Colonel Sir Adolphus Oughton (died 1736) and Frances Dickenson. He was educated at Coventry, Charterhouse school and Trinity College, Dublin and then joined his father's old regiment. Later he served in Ireland and Flanders and was present at the battles of Falkirk and Culloden. He married widow Mary Dalrymple and took up his post in Scotland first as deputy and then Commander in Chief in 1778. He travelled extensively and was a member of the Society of Antiquaries. On 14th April 1780 he died in Bath and was buried in Bath Abbey. His memorial was erected near to Wolfe as the General had left him some money in his will.

Further reading for Sir James and his father

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004