Speen Church and its Connection with Elizabeth Craven

The little parish church of St Mary the Virgin at Speen, Berkshire is the closest church to Benham Place, and it was at this tiny ancient Norman church that the Craven family used to attend services when they were in residence on the estate.

When Elizabeth Craven returned to Benham with her second husband, the Margrave of Ansbach, they would also attend church, in the correct expected manner. The Margrave was a good Protestant and there was no problem with him fitting in.
The church has many fine memorials that testify to the history of the parish. 

This wonderful Tudor monument is the tomb of Sir John Castillion, the lord of the manor in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He lies on it in full armour, indicating his rank as knight, though his services to the crown lay more in the direction of teaching Italian and later acting as an ambassador. Elizabeth Craven studied Italian herself, like the Tudor Princess, and even translated Italian poetry into English.


This beautiful neo-classical memorial commemorates Elizabeth's second husband, the Margrave of Ansbach. He died at Benham in 1806 and was buried here. Carved in white marble, in bass relief, it shows a sorrowful nymph, kneeling in front of a large funerary urn. The sculptor was the distinguished Italian artist Antonio Canova, who was in England during the Napoleonic wars. He was the top sculptor of his time, so Elizabeth was determined that the Margrave, who had been such a kind and lovely chap, should have only the best. 

Christian-Frederick-Charles-Alexander, Margrave of Ansbach

Elizabeth Craven even wrote an elegy lamenting his death. As writer, it was the obvious thing for her to do.
To find out more about Elizabeth Craven, her life and her writings, read  
Elizabeth Craven: Writer,
 Feminist and European
 by Julia Gasper
published by Vernon Press.

https://vernonpress.com/title?id=334



23 Jun 2017 - Elizabeth Craven's fascinating life was full of travel, love-affairs and scandals but this biography, the first to appear for a century, is the only one ...

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