John Leng

In the south aisle of St Margaret's church Westminster, high on the wall near the chancel, is a monument to John Leng, bishop of Norwich. The monument is signed by Andrew Carpenter. At the top the coat of arms shows the See of Norwich impaling "azure, a dove with wings endorsed argent, holding in its beak a trefoil or, in chief a mullet between two crosses patee, for difference, or" (for Leng).  The Latin inscription can be translated:

Here lies buried John Leng, Bishop of Norwich, who departed this life on the 26th day of October 1727, in the 62nd year of his age; since from his earliest youth he had become thoroughly steeped in all kinds of learning, both theology and the humanities, and since he possessed alongside his surpassing erudition a wonderful sweetness of character and eloquence, he easily won for himself fame amongst the most learned, esteem amongst the untutored, and the highest reputation amongst all men. An ardent champion of the reformed religion, when towards the end of his life he had the offer of an episcopal see (which he preferred to deserve rather than to seek after), he held nothing to be more important than that he should work to the glory of that Sparta which he had obtained, with all his powers. Rightly mindful that the title of bishop implies labour rather than honour, although he himself was not in the least desirous of glory, he was always ready, unasked, to discharge his duties towards the worthy and the deserving. As to what kind of a father he was to his family, his two most affectionate daughters even now bear witness, as does his most sorrowful wife, who desires this marble to be sacred to the everlasting memory of her dearly beloved husband.

He was born at Thornton le Dale in Yorkshire and educated in London and Cambridge. Chaplain in ordinary to George I he was also an author and in 1723 was made bishop of Norwich. By his first wife he had no children but by his second, Elizabeth (Hawes) he had Elizabeth and Susanna.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004