Putting the ‘Earl’ back into Earls Road
IN 1723 CHARLES MORDAUNT, the 3rd Earl of Peterborough, visited Southampton and fell in love with a view over the Itchen from a mount that was claimed to be the last resting place of the legendary hero, Sir Bevois of Hamtun. For this, or perhaps less romantic reasons, he rented and later bought two parcels of land close to the river, which he united into the Bevois Mount Estate. He took an existing farmhouse and enlarged and extended it into Bevois Mount House.
When we started researching the local history of Bevois Mount, it soon became clear that the earl was going to be a very dominant figure in the story that we were trying to unravel. He was already 65 years old in 1723 so his years at Bevois Mount were effectively the years of his retirement. At a young age, having already graduated from Oxford, he joined the Navy and fought Barbary pirates off the coast of North Africa. He then ventured into politics and spoke eloquently in the House of Lords. Being an opponent of the Stuart king, James II, he crossed to Holland and tried to persuade William of Orange to take James’ throne. The wily William was not going to allow a young hothead to rush him into any foolish moves but when he finally landed in Torbay, it was Charles Mordaunt who rode ashore at the head of the Prince’s troops.
Mordaunt was amply rewarded for his loyalty with many honours, including being made Earl of Monmouth. He was, however, too volatile to buckle down to a responsible ministerial career and got himself into variety of mischief, even spending a few months cooling his heels in The Tower at one point. By 1705 (in the reign of Queen Anne) he had succeeded to the earldom of Peterborough and was appointed to lead an expedition to Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession. His lack of military experience was no barrier to his success: Barcelona was taken in 1706 and he then led his troops into Valencia. Unfortunately he was not only fighting the French but also niggardly ministers at home, who refused to fund the necessary supplies, and the German ministers surrounding the Archduke Charles strained his patience and diplomatic abilities to the limit. He left the Spanish theatre of war in 1707 but the success of his campaign was later vindicated by the House of Lords. He then undertook many diplomatic missions in Europe as his friend, the author, Johnathan Swift described in his poem Mordanto:
In journeys he outrides the post,
Sits up till midnight with his host,
Talks politics, and gives the toast.
Knows every prince in Europe’s face,
Flies like a squib from place to place,
And travels not, but runs a race.
Perhaps if he had not been so much of a man of action, he might have made more of a mark in the literary world; his letters to Swift and another friend, Alexander Pope show that he was a match for them in being able to turn an elegant or witty phrase.
His retirement to Bevois Mount came after his (initially secret) second marriage to the famous opera singer, Anastasia Robinson, and indeed it was perhaps with her in mind that he secured his rural retreat. Once established he was able to indulge, alongside his friend Pope, another of his interests – landscape gardening. The gardens around the mount became a magnet for visitors. The earl died in 1735 after a period of illness during which he was tended by his devoted Anastasia. Unfortunately, so devoted was she, that she burned the memoirs that he left behind for fear that people might find them scandalous. Had they survived, how much more might we have known about Peterborough and the times in which he lived?
When we came to choose the subject of our second mural, there was a very obvious candidate. So now the Earl of Peterborough is back and close to his beloved mount at 25 Earls Road.
Click here for the location map.
When we started researching the local history of Bevois Mount, it soon became clear that the earl was going to be a very dominant figure in the story that we were trying to unravel. He was already 65 years old in 1723 so his years at Bevois Mount were effectively the years of his retirement. At a young age, having already graduated from Oxford, he joined the Navy and fought Barbary pirates off the coast of North Africa. He then ventured into politics and spoke eloquently in the House of Lords. Being an opponent of the Stuart king, James II, he crossed to Holland and tried to persuade William of Orange to take James’ throne. The wily William was not going to allow a young hothead to rush him into any foolish moves but when he finally landed in Torbay, it was Charles Mordaunt who rode ashore at the head of the Prince’s troops.
Mordaunt was amply rewarded for his loyalty with many honours, including being made Earl of Monmouth. He was, however, too volatile to buckle down to a responsible ministerial career and got himself into variety of mischief, even spending a few months cooling his heels in The Tower at one point. By 1705 (in the reign of Queen Anne) he had succeeded to the earldom of Peterborough and was appointed to lead an expedition to Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession. His lack of military experience was no barrier to his success: Barcelona was taken in 1706 and he then led his troops into Valencia. Unfortunately he was not only fighting the French but also niggardly ministers at home, who refused to fund the necessary supplies, and the German ministers surrounding the Archduke Charles strained his patience and diplomatic abilities to the limit. He left the Spanish theatre of war in 1707 but the success of his campaign was later vindicated by the House of Lords. He then undertook many diplomatic missions in Europe as his friend, the author, Johnathan Swift described in his poem Mordanto:
In journeys he outrides the post,
Sits up till midnight with his host,
Talks politics, and gives the toast.
Knows every prince in Europe’s face,
Flies like a squib from place to place,
And travels not, but runs a race.
Perhaps if he had not been so much of a man of action, he might have made more of a mark in the literary world; his letters to Swift and another friend, Alexander Pope show that he was a match for them in being able to turn an elegant or witty phrase.
His retirement to Bevois Mount came after his (initially secret) second marriage to the famous opera singer, Anastasia Robinson, and indeed it was perhaps with her in mind that he secured his rural retreat. Once established he was able to indulge, alongside his friend Pope, another of his interests – landscape gardening. The gardens around the mount became a magnet for visitors. The earl died in 1735 after a period of illness during which he was tended by his devoted Anastasia. Unfortunately, so devoted was she, that she burned the memoirs that he left behind for fear that people might find them scandalous. Had they survived, how much more might we have known about Peterborough and the times in which he lived?
When we came to choose the subject of our second mural, there was a very obvious candidate. So now the Earl of Peterborough is back and close to his beloved mount at 25 Earls Road.
Click here for the location map.