Tombstone of Sir Charles Nicholson and family

Summary

A slab tombstone, designed by the architect Sir Charles Nicholson for his first wife Evelyn, who died in 1927, where he too was buried in 1949, and his second wife, Catherine, in 1962.

Reasons for Designation

The tombstone of Sir Charles Nicholson and his wives, Evelyn and Catherine, in the churchyard of St Mary South Benfleet, designed in 1927, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Historic interest:

* it commemorates Sir Charles Nicholson, a prolific and celebrated architect in the late-C19 and early C20.

Architectural interest:

* it has a bold, bespoke design, by the architect for his first wife, Evelyn, and later marking his own burial and that of his second wife, Catherine.

Group value:

* the tomb has group value with several nearby listed buildings including the Grade I listed church of St Mary, for which Nicholson designed much of the interior, and the nearby Grade II listed war memorial which he also designed.

History

Sir Charles Archibald Nicholson FRIBA was born in 1867 in London and educated at Rugby School and New College Oxford. He trained as an architect in the office of J D Sedding, an important ecclesiastical architect, with whom Nicholson is said to have discovered his passion for working on churches, designing both fittings and buildings. In 1893 the RIBA awarded him the Tite prize for architectural design. He set up his own practice that year, and in 1895 went into partnership with Major Hubert Christian Corlette.

Nicholson was a prolific architect. He designed and built a large number of churches, and worked on additions and furnishing schemes on numerous existing parish churches. In 1927 he was commissioned to work on the newly dedicated cathedral at Portsmouth by making additions and adaptations to the C14 parish church of St Thomas à Becket (National Heritage List for England entry 1123690). Nicholson is known to have worked on at least 14 cathedrals in England and Wales. There are more than 60 buildings on the NHLE associated with his name.

Nicholson had strong links with South Benfleet. His parents lived there, and he is known to have worked on St Mary’s Church from about 1890 until the end of his life, designing most of its internal fixtures and fittings. He also designed the war memorial (Grade II) positioned in front of the lych gate.

Nicholson married his first wife, Evelyn Louise (née Olivier), in 1895, and they went on to have three children. Evelyn died in 1927, and Nicholson designed this as her tombstone. He married again in 1931, to Catherine Maud (née Warren). Nicholson died in 1949, and was buried with his first wife, and his name and dates were added to the tombstone. In 1962, Catherine died and was also buried here, and her initials and dates were added.

Details

A tombstone, dated 1927, by Sir Charles Nicholson.

MATERIALS: a single, carved limestone slab.

PLAN: the tombstone is situated approximately 2m south-west of the west tower of the Grade I listed Church of St Mary. There are five listed tombstones in the churchyard: an C18 chest tomb, and a group of four C18 headstones (all Grade II).

EXTERIOR: the tomb has a shallow, rectangular form with chamfered edges, resting on a very low, slightly stepped base. It is decorated on its upper surface with a horizontal relief of a simple cross standing upon a stepped base. The left (north) chamfered edge is carved with relief capital letters reading “Evelyn Louise Nicholson 1867-1927”. The right (south) chamfered edge is carved “Charles Archibald Nicholson 1867-1949”. The top chamfered edge is carved “CMN 1883-1962.” The bottom chamfered edge simply bears the letters “RIP”.

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Bettley, J, The Buildings of England: Essex, (2021)

Websites
South Benfleet Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan by Essex County Council, accessed 21 April 2021 from https://www.castlepoint.gov.uk/download.cfm?doc=docm93jijm4n5164.pdf&ver=8591
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, accessed 22 April 2021 from https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/35225

End of official list entry

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