Holles Family

Sir Frescheville Holles

Frescheville was born 8th June 1642, the only son of Gervase Holles and his second wife Elizabeth (Molesworth). A major in the Westminster militia he also commanded a privateer called the Panther. George Monck, duke of Albemarle, recommended him for the navy and he was later knighted after a successful action, although he lost an arm. He married Jane Crome (nee Lewis). While serving in the third Anglo-Dutch war he was killed at the battle of Sole bay on 28th May 1672 and was given a splendid funeral in the Abbey. He was buried in St Edmund's chapel but his grave is unmarked - in his will he had planned an impressive memorial for himself!

John Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle

His towering monument of white and other marble stands in the north transept, near the entrance door, although he was buried, by his own wish, in the chapel of St John the Evangelist near his great-grandfather Horace, Lord Vere of Tilbury. The monument is signed by the architect James Gibbs and the sculptor was Francis Bird assisted by J.M. Rysbrack. The duke's effigy is in armour with loose drapery and he looks upward, holding in his hands a coronet and a baton. On either side are the standing, life-size, figures of Wisdom, with a pillar, and Sincerity, with a mirror. The architectural background consists of two columns, pilasters and two seated angels, with an heraldic achievement. The inscription reads:

To the memory of JOHN HOLLES DUKE OF NEWCASTLE, Marquis and Earl of CLARE, Baron Haughton and Knight-Companion of the most Noble Order of the Garter, whose body is here deposited under the same roof with many of his noble ancestors and relations of the families of VERE, CAVENDISHE and HOLLES, whose eminent virtues he inherited; and was particularly distinguished for his courage, love to his countrey and constancy in friendship; which qualities he exerted with great zeal and readiness, whenever the cause of religion, his countrey, or friends required him. In the reign of Queen Anne he filled with great capactiy and honour the several employments of Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal, and Privy Councellour, Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the counties of Middlesex and Nottingham, and of the county of the town of Nottingham and of the East and North Ridings of the county of York, Lord Chief Justice in Eyre North of Trent, and Governour of the town and fort of Kingston upon Hull; to all which titles and honours his personal merit gave a lustre, that needed not the addition of the great wealth which he possessed. He was born the 9th of January 1661/2 and died the 15th of July 1711. He marryed the Lady Margaret, third daughter and heir to Henry Cavendishe Duke of Newcastle, by whom he left issue one only child, the Lady HENRIETTA-CAVENDISHE HOLLES HARLEY, who caused this memorial of him to be here erected in the year of our Lord 1723

John was a son of Gilbert Holles, 3rd Earl of Clare, and his wife Grace (Pierrepont). He succeeded his father as Earl in 1689. While stag hunting at his home at Welbeck Abbey he was thrown from his horse and died. His daughter Henrietta married Edward Harley (later Earl of Oxford) and she was buried in the Newcastle vault on 26th December 1755, with Edward who was buried there on 25th June 1741.

Sir Francis Holles, son of Denzil, 1st Baron Holles of Ifield, was married in the Abbey to Lucy Carr on 22nd August 1661.

Further Reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004 for John and Sir Frescheville

Alan Darr "From Westminster Abbey to the Wallace Collection: Torrigiano's Head of Christ" in Apollo magazine, November 1982.