Joshua Guest

In the west aisle of the north transept of Westminster Abbey is a monument to Lt. General Joshua Guest. The monument of white and red marbles was designed by Sir Robert Taylor and unveiled in 1751. There is a bust of the General in Roman armour, with military trophies and palm and laurel branches at the side. His coat of arms shows "azure a chevron argent between three swans' heads erased". The inscription reads:

Sacred to those virtues that adorn a Christian and a soldier this marble perpetuates the memory of Lieutenant General JOSHUA GUEST who closed a service of sixty years by faithfully defending EDINBURGH CASTLE against the Rebells, 1745. His widow, who lies near him, caused this to be erected.

The General was buried in the East Cloister of the Abbey on 16th October 1747, aged 85 and his widow Sarah died 17th July 1751. He was probably born in Halifax in Yorkshire and his mother Mary was not married. He enlisted in the army and served under King William III in Ireland, and then fought in Spain. In 1735 he became Brigadier General and was governor in Edinburgh during the Jacobite rising.

The monument is currently partly obscured at the base.

Further reading

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography