A Monument to
Lord Hill
Hadnall - The Final Resting Place
by Paul Ridgley, UK
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This church had never possessed a tower and Lord Hill offered to have a tower built providing that a vault was constructed under the tower for the burial of himself and his sisters (Lord Hill never married). It was duly constructed in 1837 and Lord Hill lies in his chosen resting place at this small pleasant church. The only accolade to his memory is the beautifully made but small marble memorial to the left of the altar. In an arched niche in the wall stands a shepherd and a cavalryman, either side of a guardian lion, with a scroll as a central feature beneath the Hill coat of arms, adorned with marble copies of his many awards and decorations.
In him were combined, in a usual degree, gentleness and firmness, humanity and heroism, calmness and ardour, obtaining for him not only public applause, but cordial esteem and affection. His well known services are recorded in the history of his times. They raised him to the distinction of the peerage, and of General in Chief of the British Forces, the duties of which high office he discharged for more than fourteen years with remarkable impartiality and efficiency. In the autumn of 1842 declining health obliged him to retire to his native county where he had before spent most of his hours of relaxation in the cultivation of the arts of peace, and proved himself the friend of all classes and the special benefactor of the poor. The earthly honours conferred upon him did not blind him to his spiritual wants and necessities, nor render him insensible to his deep need of a saviour.
If you walk into the tower area looking up you will see four large old framed boards indicating benefactors and contributors who donated to various works for the church in the early 19th century. You will find references to Lord Hill and the Hill Family, as well as other local dignitaries detailing the amounts of cash they gave towards each project. So for our Lord Hill, no great marble mausoleum, no large ornate church stone, just a small memorial in a small country church is all that marks his final resting place. Having been an admirer of Lord Hill, I think that the scroll on the memorial is as fitting a tribute as any for this remarkable man who was dearly loved by the Army and the people. More Lord Hill Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire #43 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 1998 by First Empire. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com |
On his retirement form service, having held the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Army and MP for Shrewsbury, Lord Hill returned to his country home at Hawkstone in Shropshire where he died on 10th December 1842 at the age of 71 years. He loved the Shropshire countryside and was an active member of the congregation at the small church at Hadnall, which lies just North of Shrewsbury on the A49.
The scroll reads:-
He passed the brief evening of his repose in sincere penitence and prayer, and died in peace looking unto him alone who is the way, the truth and the life.