Darnley Mausoleum

Darnley Mausoleum in Cobham woods.

The Earls of Darnley were usually buried in Westminster Abbey, but by the late 18th century, their vaults were full. In his will, the 3rd Earl, John Bligh, left instructions for a mausoleum to be built in Cobham Park, Kent, where he and his descendants could be laid to rest in a grand manner.
Lord Darnley's ideas for his mausoleum were possibly inspired by the Roman remains, including the monumental pyramid mausoleum of Cestius, he saw on the 'Grand Tour'. He may also have been influenced by French artist Nicholas Poussin's picture 'The Sacrament of Ordination'.
Of the detailed instructions he left in his will, it clearly stated that he wanted a square stone building with a 'prominent pyramid' surrounded by a dry moat.
Left unused:
The mausoleum was completed in 1786, at a cost of £9000 (well over £1 million in today's prices), but there was a problem... For reasons that remain unclear, possibly involving a dispute with the Bishop of Rochester, the Darnley Mausoleum was not consecrated and could not be used for burial.
A vandals playground:
Without anyone to watch over the mausoleum, it became the main attraction for vandals, with graffiti, and over 90 wrecked cars damaging the site.
After an arson attack in the crypt on 5 November 1980, the floor of the chapel collapsed, and the elegant outer staircase was destroyed. With much of the interior blackened, damaged and destroyed, the future looked bleak for the mausoleum.

From the ashes:
The plight of the mausoleum was highlighted in the first series of BBC televisions ‘Restoration’ in 2003, which publicised severely neglected buildings of heritage importance.
Although not being chosen by the nation as the ‘winner’, CAMS were eventually able to provide the funding for Gravesham Borough Council to buy the mausoleum and the surrounding woodland for £150,000.
CAMS also secured £5m from the Heritage Lottery Fund and later £746,000 from the Office of The Deputy Prime Minister and Union Railways, to fund the restoration.
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