Cholmondeley family

James Cholmondeley, army officer, is buried in the nave of Westminster Abbey but with no monument. He was a son of George Cholmondeley, 2nd Earl of Cholmondeley, army officer and governor of the island of Guernsey, by his wife Elizabeth van Ruytenburgh. He was born on 18th April 1708 and joined the Life Guards in 1725. He served in Flanders and was attached to General Wade's army at the battle of Falkirk. Later he attained the rank of Lt. General and was governor of Chester. His wife was Lady Penelope Barry (died 1786), daughter of the 4th Earl of Barrymore) but they divorced in 1736 and he left no legitimate children.

His gravestone, along with many others, was removed when the nave floor was relaid in 1834 but the inscription was:

The Honble. James Cholmondeley, General of his Majesty's Forces, Colonel of the Inniskilling regiment of Dragoons and Governor of Chester Castle. Died 13 October 1775 aged 68.

Robert and Richard Cholmondeley

Two sons of Robert, 1st Viscount Cholmondeley and his wife Elizabeth (Cradock) have a memorial in the north aisle of the nave. Both died while attending Westminster School. The white marble monument is decorated with sprays and drapery with two cartouches of arms. The Latin inscription can be translated:

Here lie buried two sons of the most noble Lord Robert Viscount Cholmondeley, of which Robert his second son not 14 years of age, but a most promising youth, of maiden bashfulness but of manly disposition, was a King's Scholar and noble ornament of this College. His commendable advances in Latin, Greek and Hebrew letters, he so honoured with a generous disposition that you might perceive him descended from the ancient family of the Cholmondeleys. He died February 2nd in the year of our redemption 1678. Richard the other son and fourth by birth, gave such proofs of a fine genius, that one might easily know him to be the brother; he died 5 June in the year of our Lord 1680.

Richard was aged 12 when he died. The coats of arms show "in chief, two close helmets, in base a garb" with a crescent for difference on one and a martlet for difference on the other.

Further reading for James and his father

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

James's will is at The National Archives

The Cholmondeley family chapel is at Malpas in Cheshire. Cholmondeley Castle Gardens is open to the public.