“We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our
patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.”

 

2 Corinthians 6:6

 

5th Viscount Downe

Statue by Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey

The statue is still magnificent,
but is now showing some minor damage
”To perpetuate in the place which he loved the
remembrance of his virtue and of the kindness with
which he diffused comfort and happiness around him”
The statue of John Christopher Burton Dawnay, 5th Viscount Downe, is by the English sculptor Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey. In the “History of the Priory and Peculiar, in the County of York”, Rev Charles Best Robinson says:

“There was considerable difficulty in finding a block of white Carrara Marble sufficiently large for this sepulchral memorial.”

Dawnay was born in 1764, the eldest son of John Dawnay, 4th Viscount Downe and Laura, daughter of William Burton. He succeeded his father as Viscount in 1780. However, as this was an Irish peerage he was not entitled to a seat in the English House of Lords.

He subsequently sat as Member of Parliament for Petersfield between 1787 and 1790, and for Wootton Basset between 1790 and 1796. He was then created Baron Dawnay, of Cowick in the County of York, in the Peerage of Great Britain, which finally gave him a seat in the House of Lords.

Lord Downe was married twice. His first marriage was to a daughter of Major John Scott of Balconie. After her death in 1798, he married Louisa Maria, daughter of George Welstead. There were no children from the two marriages.

Lord Downe died in February 1832, aged 67 and the barony of Dawnay died with him, but he was succeeded in the viscountcy by his younger brother, Reverend William Henry Dawnay, later succeeded by his son William Dawnay, the 7th Viscount Downe.

The story goes that the 7th Viscount wanted to marry the daughter of Richard Bagot, Bishop of Bath and Wells. Before being granted permission, William was made to promise to build three churches – one at Cowick, one at Pollington, and one at Hensall. Whilst this tale is almost certainly a little fanciful, what cannot be exaggerated is the influence that the Dawnay family have had on the whole of the parish of Great Snaith, and on this area in general.

The Carrara marble works active, and still mining white marble, in 1962

Did You Know?

With Laurie the Church Mouse