The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-28 00:00:00

MATTHEW RUSSELL, ESQ. M.P.

On Monday se'nnight, the remains of the late
MATTHEW` RUSSELL, Esq. M.P., were brought to Brance-
peth, to be interred in the family vault. From Sunderland
Bridge, a procession, headed by Lieutenant-Colonel Mills,
passed through Durham to Brancepeth Castle, about twelve
o'clock. It consisted chiefly of Lord Stewart's tenantry and
colliery agents, Mr. Russell's tenantry and colliery agents,
and the Hebburn Colliery agents ; mourning coaches, with
the, medical attendants and others; Mr. Russell's chariot
and four ; several gentlemen in their carriages ; carriages
empty, belonging to Lord Viscount Barrington, Rowland
Burdon, Esq. Rev. Dr. Phillpotts, Rev. William Nesfield,
Thomas Hopper, Esq. of Sherburn, and others • and a consi-
derable number of gentlemen on horseback. When the pro-
cession approached the outer gate of the Castle, the horsemen
who preceded the body, consisting of about 300, divided and
formed an avenue, through which the hearse, and all those im-
mediately engaged in attendance upon it, together with the car-
riages which followed, passed into the court-yard of the Castle.
Mr. W. Russell, Sir Gordon Drummond, C. Tennyson, Esq.
M.P. General Seddon. Colonel Grey, Captain Hill, and other
friends of the deceased, were in waiting to receive the body at
the entrance door of the 'great hall, through which a procession,
formed of the relatives, 'friends, agents, stewards, and domes-
tics, attended it to the Baron's Hall, where it was deposited un-
der a canopy. The arrangements of this apartment were such
as to give a most impressive effect to the interesting ceremony
—an effect most sensibly felt by the surrounding group. After
this mournful scene had closed, and those who were present had
retired to other apartments in the Castle, the tenantry and others
who had by this time arrived in the Great Hall, partook of the
refreshments which were arranged within it, immediately after
the procession had passed into the Baron's Chamber. They
were subsequently admitted through the breakfast room into the
Baron's Hall,. and after passing round the canopy, returned
through the dining room, and departed by the second entrance.
The procession on this melancholy occasion was conducted
with the greatest solemnity. While passing through Durham,
the great Bell of the Cathedral and the bells of all the
o then churches tolled at intervals of a minute. It is, indeed,
as creditable to the good feelings of the citizens of Durham, as
to the memory of the excellent person himself who excited them,
on this occasion, that the shops were closed, and business sus-
pended ; while amongst the large assemblage of persons who
crowded the streets, great numbers were in mourning, and a
considerable proportion of the remainder in their best attire.
An expression of unaffected sorrow was displayed on the coun-
tenances of all, which clearly evinced an universal respect for
the character and virtues of the deceased. The body lay in
state in the Baron's Hall from Monday till yesterday, when the
remains of this truly amiable and benevolent gentleman were de-
posited, amidst the lamentations of the poor, and the deep regret
of all classes, in the family vault, under the chancel of Brance-
peth Church. The mourners at this last sad ceremony were
Wm. Russell, Esq. the son of the deceased ; Sir Gordon Drum-
mond and C. Tennyson, Esq. M. P., his brothers-in-law ; and
Colonel Grey. The pall was supported by Major-Gen. Seddon,
Rowland Burdon, Esq., Thomas 'Wilkinson Esq. John Allan,
Esq., Thomas Greenwell, Esq., Rev. John Fawcett, Lieut. COL
Mills, and-Capt. Hill. No fewer than 2750 persons from Dur-
ham and the surrounding country flocked to the Castle during
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, to view the melancholy
apartments, which were eminently calculated for the mourn.
ful purpose to which they were appropriated. The three
rooms fitted up for the occasion are of very large dimen-
sions. The centre apartment is the Baron's Hall, a very
ancient room, and is, as well as the two others, exceedingly
lofty, with antique groined roof. The light in the two centre
rooms was obscured, so as to produce a suitable gloom, being
admitted through the upper portion only of the painted windows.
The effect of the Baron's Hall upon the beholders, was awful.
The apartment consists of three groins, one of which was di-
vided from the others, so as to form a sort of anti-chapel. The
two further groins constituted the Baron's Chamber, where a
magnificent canopy, surmounted by beautiful plumes, and orna-
mented by heraldic devices, was seen occupying the upper part
of it. The walls of the chamber and anti-caapel were hung
with black, leaving the beautifully groined ceiling exposed. A
richly painted hatchment occupied the points of the arches at
each end, and escutcheons of arms were seen in the centre of the
side arches: At the further end of the chamber magnificent
black plumes were arranged upon What appeared to be the lid of
the coffin, over which was placed the pall. To this great effect
was given by a white drapery behind ; between this and the
coffin was a very lofty candelabrum, containing amass of lights,
which illuminated the roof, while the light itself was concealed
by the canopy. On each side of the coffin, which was covered
with black silk velvet, and richly decorated,, appeared the
funeral tapers -and" mutes. The breast plate was inscribed as
follows :
MATTHEW RUSSELL, EsQ. M. P.
Of Brancepeth Castle,
Vice-Lieutenant of the County of Durham,
Died Bth May, 1822,
Aged 57 ears.
At the head of the coffin was placed the grand escutcheon. The
whole effect was exceedingly imposing, and calculated to pro-
duce the most solemn and permanent impressions ; indeed, we
never witnessed, nor can we conceive
.any scene, the effect of
which was more decisive or which more completely harmonized
with the feelings of those who approached it.