Lovelace Mausoleum

The Lovelace Mausoleum is a unique feature of St Martin's Churchyard. It was built by William King-Noel, 1st Earl of Lovelace (1805-1893) who almost certainly designed the mausoleum itself as he was a accomplished architect as well as a wealthy landowner. East Horsley is known as the 'Lovelace Village' given the distinctive architectural style imbued on the village by the Earl featuring red and black-fired bricks with flint decoration. The Lovelace family lived in what was originally known as 'East Horsley Place', but with his architectural additions of flint and brick towers was renamed Horsley Towers. Lord Lovelace's first wife was the daughter of Lord Byron, Augusta Ada, a brilliant mathematician and acquainted with Charles Babbage, the originator of the concept of a digital programmable computer and Babbage is acknowledged as the father of the computer as we know it today. Lord Lovelace also built a gazebo adjacent to the churchyard which can be seen at the same time of the visit. Legend has it that the youngest member of St Martin's choir was posted in the gazebo to await the Earl's carriage on its way to the church to alert the clergy of his imminent arrival! St Martin's itself also has a fascinating history being a place of worship for the best part of a millennium. The tower is believed to have been built prior to the Norman Conquest and in the following centuries several restorations and additions were made; the most fundamental being in 1869.

Timings & Tours

Saturday 14 September:

1000-1600

Location & directions

St Martin's Church, Ockham Road South, East Horsley, Surrey, KT24 6RL

Contact on day:

Robert Barnard

Telephone number:

+447788144268

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking not required

Accessibility details

Steep stone steps to entrance of mausoleum (approx 12) - not accessible for wheelchair users

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