The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-25 00:00:00

The late Marquis of Exeter, K. G.

Tho funeral of the lamented Marquis of Exeter, H.G.,
took place yesterday, when his honoured remains were
placed in the family vault in the ancient church of St.
Martin's, Stamford. During Wednesday, between the
hours of ten and four, nearly 6,000 persons passed through
Burghley House to see the lying in state. The apartment,
the stone parlour, where the lying in state took place, was
hung and carpeted with black drapery, and in the centre
of the room was placed the richly-ornamented coffin, con-
taining the remains of the respected marquis, on which
were placed his sword and military plumed hat, together
with the ribbon and badge of the Order of the Garter, as
well as the coronet on a crimson velvet cushion. The
outer coffin was covered with black velvet, and on. the
plate, underneath the arms of the late marquis, was the
following inscription:—
The Most Noble Brownlow Cecil,
Second Marquis of Exeter, K.G.,
Hereditary Grand Almoner,
Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the Counties
of Northampton and Rutland;
Born, 2d July, 1795.
Died 16th January, 1867.
"I know that my Redeemer liveth.."
The pall partially covered the foot of the coffin, and at
the head were placed plumes of black feathers, and against
the wall a silk tabard, the emblazoned armorial bearings
of the late marquis. Surrounding the coffin wore a num-
ber of caedelabra, with wax tapers. Nearly the whole of
the tenantry and their families attended the lying in state
for the late marquis was held in the highest respect and
affectionate regard by his tenants.
Yesterday morning the funeral took place. The bell of St.
Martin's Church began to toll at 11 o'clock, and at that hour
all the houses and shops in the town of Stamford were closed
out of respect to the memory of the marquis. The bells
of the other churches also tolled till after the funeral. The
funeral procession formed at Burghley House shortly after
11 o'clock. The funeral cavalcade having been marshalled
proceeded through the
park to the principal lodge in the
Great North road in the following order :
Two Mutes.
The Undertaker.
Page. State Lid of Feathers. Page.
The late Marquis's Coronet on a Crimson
State Groom. Velvet Cushion, State Groom.
borne by Mr. Rambling, a
devoted servitor of the
deceased Marquis, on
horseback.
The Hearse,
drawn by four horses, richly caparisoned with black trap-
pings, which was followed by four mourning coaches, each
drawn by two horses. The firstmourniug coach contained
Lord Burghley (chief mourner), Lord Thos. Cecil, brother,
and Lords Brownlow and Adelbert Cecil, sons of the late
Marquis. The second mourning coach contained the Earl
Spencer, Viscount Sandon, Hon. Mr. Cecil, and Hon. A.
Wellesley. The third mourning coach contained the Hon.
Wm. Evans Freke, the Earl Percy, Viscount Cranborne,
M.P., and the Earl of Longford ; and fourth mourning coach
the Hon. Wm. Cecil, Dr. Hopkinson, Dr. Newman, and
Mr. Wm. Higgs (the land steward of the late marquis). The
private carriage of the late marquis followed in the roar,
after which the servants of the family walked to the church.
A great many yeomen and gentlemen farmers, attired in
deep mourning, had assembled at the park lodge, and ac-
companied
the funeral to the church. The greatest order
and decorum were manifested by all present. St. Martin's
Church, the burial place of the Cecil family, is an interest-
ing building, and calculated to hold about 500 people. It
was built by John Russell in the reign of Edward 'IV.,
about the year 1480 ; the same site having been previously
occupied by a sacred edifice, erected between 1133 and
1147, by Martin de Vecti, Abbot of Peterborough, who de-
dicated it to the saint whose name he bore, which edifice
was given to the convent of St. Michael, in Stamford, by
William de Waterville, the founder of that monastery, and
the vicarage was soon afterwards ordained. Upon the sup-
pression of the monasteries, the rectory and vicarage were
year 1541, to Mr. Richard Cecil, father
surer Burghley, from whom they have
o f granted,the
Lordab uTt
Treasurer
descended to his successors. The most important features
in St. Martin's Church, beyond its fine old painted glass
windows, are the handsome monuments which have been
erected in it to the memory of the various members of the
noble house of Cecil. The ancient vault of the family of
Cecil is under the north aisle of the chancel of the church,
and contains the stone coffin of the Lord Treasurer
Burghley, Queen Elizbeth's wise and favourite Minister.
This vault being filled with the mortal remains of the Cecil
family, the late marquis a few years ago caused a new
vault to be made in the north side of the church, over
which vault has been erected a spacious and costly mor-
tuary chapel, a rich and successful example of mediaeval art
in keeping with the ancient church. Tho interior walls and
arcade aro of Ketton stone. The roof rises from richly
sculptured corbels, and is of peculiar richness, and entirely
of fine English oak grown in Burghley Park. The floor is
of marble inlay, and has the following inscription :—" To
the glory of God, and in memory of four departed children,
this mortuary chapel was erected by the Most Noble the Mar-
quis of Exeter, K.G., in the year of our Lord 1864." The
building was erected from the designs and under the super-
vision of his lordship's architect, Mr. E. Browning, of Stam-
ford. Everypart of the church was filled by a most respect-
able cogreptiou. The funer4l cortege reached st. Bliatied