Wyatt and Nichol Family Graves in St Mary's churchyard

Cadw's description

Location

Group of three closely-related graveslabs, within railed enclosures, sited under a mature beech tree towards NW corner of the churchyard.

History

Largest grave circa 1850/1 commemorates members of the Nichol family of Usk and the Ham (Glamorgan); designed by the London architect Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt who married into the Nichol family. He was co-designer with Brunel of Paddington and Temple Meads railway stations, designed the India Office in London, and was architect and secretary to the Great Exhibition of 1851 in the Crystal Palace, as well as the first Slade professor of Fine Arts.. The north grave circa 1874 also commemorates members of the Nichol family and is believed to be designed by Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt. The S grave was designed by TH Wyatt, the elder architect brother of Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt, in remembrance of the latter who died in 1877. TH Wyatt was a very prolific architect, designing many churches in SE Wales, and in Usk, the Sessions House and Prison.

Exterior

Large centre grave with parallel recumbent polished red granite slabs with hipped tops and a Byzantine cross to the interstice. Inscriptions commemorate Eleanor Nichol (died 1850), her daughter (died 1850) and other members of the family. Stone plinth. Around the rectangular grave enclosure is an elaborate cast-iron railing with barley-sugar twist uprights bearing paterae and fluted finials. Openwork scrolls with Romanesque-style foliage finials and cresting to horizontal panels and rails. (Ironwork partly broken along S side, Nov 1989).

To N is a single recumbent grey granite slab with hipped top and stonework plinth. Inscriptions commemorate William Henry Nichol (died 1874) and Elizabeth Nichol (died 1913). Lower ironwork enclosure with openwork, cusped panels with finials to centre of quatrefoils; polygonal uprights to angles with ball-finials. (Top rail and N side badly broken, Nov 1989).

To S is a single recumbent polished red granite slab with chamfered edges bearing a plain white stone cross. Indistinct lettering reads: "Here rest the remains of Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt Kt born 28 July 1820. Died 21 May 1877". His wife is commemorated along N side and the monument is signed "T H W" (Thomas Henry Wyatt). Lower ironwork enclosure with slender ironwork scrolls in Romanesque style to panels between polygonal uprights; extravagant foiliage or petals to twisted bud finials, pendant foliage to uprights.

Reason for designation

Listed for their special historic interest as graves designed by important architects.