In Carshalton, lies the parish church of All Saints which stands proud at the west end of the high street and it's within its interior that we can gaze upon a most unique yet imposing monument of the baroque period.
Situated in the south aisle is the grand memorial to a Sir William Scawen, though you would be easily mistaken for their are in fact two separate monuments here with the wall panel directly above Sir William commemorating his wife Dame Mary Scawen née Maynard who predeceased him.
Sir William was notably a Director of the East India Company as well as a Governor of the Bank of England from 1697-1699 being the second incumbent in the bank’s history, his predecessor was Sir John Houblon who appeared on the £50 note from 1994-2014.
Upon Sir William’s death he was interred in the family vault below and the lower half of the monument was installed whilst Dame Mary’s monument was raised above with roof of the aisle itself being raised to accommodate both. Originally, the Scawen family pew occupied an easternmost portion of the south aisle, though the pew no longer exists two wooden heraldic crests bearing the Scawen arms have survived which were thought to have decorated the pew.
