Tomb of Marigold Churchill explained

Tomb of Marigold Churchill
Building Type:Funerary monument
Coordinates:51.5268°N -0.2277°W
Location:Kensal Green Cemetery, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London
Start Date:1867
Architect:Eric Gill
Governing Body:General Cemetery Company
Embed:yes
Designation1:Grade II listed building
Designation1 Offname:Tomb of Marigold Churchill
Designation1 Date:12 June 2001
Designation1 Number:1246128
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:12
Mapframe-Point:on

The Tomb of Marigold Churchill is located in Kensal Green Cemetery in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England. It commemorates Marigold, the fourth child of Winston and Clementine Churchill. Marigold died aged two in 1921 and the tomb at Kensal Green was her grave until her reinterment in the Churchill family plot at St Martin's Church, Bladon, Oxfordshire in 2020. Designed by Eric Gill, the tomb is a Grade II listed structure.

History

Marigold Churchill (15 November 1918-23 August 1921) was the fourth child of Winston and Clementine Churchill. She died of sepsis at the age of 2 years, 9 months, while on holiday at Broadstairs in Kent. Her death devastated her parents.[1] She was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery three days after her death, in a private ceremony attended only by the Churchill family. Photographers who had come to the cemetery left at Churchill's request.[2] In 2020 her body was exhumed and reburied in the Spencer-Churchill family plot at St Martin's Church, Bladon in Oxfordshire.[3]

Description

The tomb takes the form of a cross. It is carved in Hopton Wood stone, a particularly fine form of limestone much used for gravestones.[4] The monument originally comprised a pedestal, with "exquisite" Gill lettering, topped with a shaft depicting the crucifixion. The wording on the pediment reads: "HERE LIES // MARIGOLD // DEAR CHILD // OF WINSTON // AND CLEMENTIME // CHURCHILL // BORN NOV 15 // 1918 // DIED AUG 23 // 1921 // R.I.P". The upper part of the memorial was stolen in 1992 and was replaced by a stone cross.[5] The designer was Eric Gill. It is a Grade II listed structure.

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Churchill’s torment over death of two year old daughter laid bare. Richard. Brooks. The Times. 6 February 2024.
  2. Web site: Churchill's personal tragedy: Marigold Churchill (1918-1921). David. Bingham. The London Dead. 23 September 2023. 7 February 2024.
  3. Web site: Together at last. International Churchill Society. 27 February 2022. 7 January 2024.
  4. Thomas. Ian A. Hopton Wood Stone – England's premier decorative stone. England's Heritage in Stone Proceedings of a Conference Tempest Anderson Hall, York 15–17 March 2005. 90–105. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140514044950/http://www.englishstone.org.uk/York/ESF%20-%20Ian%20Thomas.pdf. 14 May 2014.
  5. Web site: St Mary's Conservation Area. Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council. 7 February 2024. 7.