Francis Noel Clarke Mundy
Encyclopedia
Francis Noel Clarke Mundy 1739 – 1815 was a poet who published with Anna Seward
and Erasmus Darwin
. His most noted work was written to defend Needwood Forest
which was enclosed at the beginning of the 19th century. He was the father of Francis Mundy.
, Osbaston, Leicestershire, which at that time belonged to the Mundys a family which had been based in Markeaton
since John Mundy
bought lands in Derbyshire
. He received his education at Repton School
and at Winchester and then proceeded to New College, Oxford
.
In 1762-3, Joseph Wright exhibited a set of six portraits that were commissined by Mundy. Each of the portraits were in the distinctive dress of the Markearton Hunt consisting of yellow breeches and a blue coat over a scarlet waitcoat. These paintings hung at the ancestral home of Markeaton Hall. The subjects of these commissions included old school friends like Harry Peckham K.C.
and relatives like his brother-in-law, Francis Burdett
.
Mundy married first Elizabeth Ayrton who died in Falmouth
aged 22 on 1 October 1768. He then married Elizabeth eldest daughter of Sir Robert Burdett bart in 1770 and had two sons: Francis and Charles Godfrey
His second wife died in 1807 aged 64.
Mundy was the author of two admired descriptive poems Needwood Forest (1776) and the Fall of Needwood (1808). Needwood Forest
was a large ancient woodland in Staffordshire which was destroyed under the authority of the enclosure Act of 1803. Despite Mundy's and other protests it was removed by 1811. Anna Seward
regarded his poem, Needwood Forest, as "one of the most beautiful local poems".
Mundy died in 1815 and the magistrates of Derbyshire commissioned a bust by Francis Chantrey which was placed in the county hall in memory of his long and eminent services as justice of the peace and chairman of the quarter sessions. The bust has the following inscription
In addition there is an engraving of him with his grandson, William Mundy, by Charles Turner (after R. R. Reinagle). The picture also features in the foreground the manuscript of Mundy's ‘'The Fall of Needwood Forest
’'. South Derbyshire magistrates court also own an oil painting of him "after" Thomas Lawrence
.
In 1830, two volumes were published which made available the many poems not published during Mundy's lifetime. Finally, in 1851, William Mundy paid for a memorial window to his grandfather to be installed in Markeaton church.
Anna Seward
Anna Seward was an English Romantic poet, often called the Swan of Lichfield.-Life:Seward was the elder daughter of Thomas Seward , prebendary of Lichfield and Salisbury, and author...
and Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin was an English physician who turned down George III's invitation to be a physician to the King. One of the key thinkers of the Midlands Enlightenment, he was also a natural philosopher, physiologist, slave trade abolitionist,inventor and poet...
. His most noted work was written to defend Needwood Forest
Needwood Forest
Needwood Forest was a large area of ancient woodland in Staffordshire which was largely lost at the end of the 18th century.-History:Needwood Forest was a chase or royal forest given to Henry III's son Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster, in 1266...
which was enclosed at the beginning of the 19th century. He was the father of Francis Mundy.
Biography
Francis Noel Clarke Mundy was born 15 August 1739 at Osbaston HallOsbaston Hall
Osbaston Hall is a privately owned 18th-century country house at Osbaston, Leicestershire. It is the home of the de Lisle family and a Grade II* listed building.The oldest fabric of the house dates from the late 16th or early 17th century...
, Osbaston, Leicestershire, which at that time belonged to the Mundys a family which had been based in Markeaton
Markeaton
Markeaton is a village within Derby in the East Midlands of England.The name possibly means Boundary - Island Village, which had stood at this site since Medieval times....
since John Mundy
John Mundy (mayor)
Sir John Mundy was a London goldsmith and Lord Mayor of London.He was born in Wycomb, son of William Munday He purchased the manor of Markeaton in 1516 as well as Mackworth and Allestree, which are all now parts of Derby from Lord Audley....
bought lands in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. He received his education at Repton School
Repton School
Repton School, founded in 1557, is a co-educational English independent school for both day and boarding pupils, in the British public school tradition, located in the village of Repton, in Derbyshire, in the Midlands area of England...
and at Winchester and then proceeded to New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
.
In 1762-3, Joseph Wright exhibited a set of six portraits that were commissined by Mundy. Each of the portraits were in the distinctive dress of the Markearton Hunt consisting of yellow breeches and a blue coat over a scarlet waitcoat. These paintings hung at the ancestral home of Markeaton Hall. The subjects of these commissions included old school friends like Harry Peckham K.C.
Harry Peckham
Harry Peckham was a King's counsel and sportsman who toured Europe and wrote a series of letters which are still being published over 200 years later. Peckham was a member of the committee that drew up early laws of cricket including the first inclusion of the Leg before wicket rule...
and relatives like his brother-in-law, Francis Burdett
Francis Burdett (1743)
Francis Burdett was a member of the noble Burdett Family of Bramcote which had a lineage of Baronetcy. He failed to inherit the hereditary baronetcy as he died; in 1794; before his father did; in 1797, thus he was only the son and father of two Bramcote Burdett Baronets...
.
Mundy married first Elizabeth Ayrton who died in Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
aged 22 on 1 October 1768. He then married Elizabeth eldest daughter of Sir Robert Burdett bart in 1770 and had two sons: Francis and Charles Godfrey
Francis Mundy
Francis Mundy was a member of parliament for Derbyshire.-Biography:Mundy was born the elder of two sons and he was the heir of Francis Noel Clarke Mundy who was a magistrate and poet who lived at Markeaton, near Derby...
His second wife died in 1807 aged 64.
Needwood Forest
Needwood Forest was a large area of ancient woodland in Staffordshire which was largely lost at the end of the 18th century.-History:Needwood Forest was a chase or royal forest given to Henry III's son Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster, in 1266...
was a large ancient woodland in Staffordshire which was destroyed under the authority of the enclosure Act of 1803. Despite Mundy's and other protests it was removed by 1811. Anna Seward
Anna Seward
Anna Seward was an English Romantic poet, often called the Swan of Lichfield.-Life:Seward was the elder daughter of Thomas Seward , prebendary of Lichfield and Salisbury, and author...
regarded his poem, Needwood Forest, as "one of the most beautiful local poems".
Mundy died in 1815 and the magistrates of Derbyshire commissioned a bust by Francis Chantrey which was placed in the county hall in memory of his long and eminent services as justice of the peace and chairman of the quarter sessions. The bust has the following inscription
This Effigy is consecrated by his Countrymen to the Memory of Francis Noel Clarke Mundy who having modestly declined their unanimous Offer to elect him their Representative in Parliament continued to preside on the Bench of Justices in this Hall during a period of nearly 50 years with a clearness of judgment and an integrity of decision well worthy of being gratefully and honourably recorded This excellent Man admired for the elegance of his literary Productions beloved for the gentleness of his Manners revered for his public and private Virtues lived happily at his paternal seat at Markeaton to the age of 76 years May his Example excite Emulation "
In addition there is an engraving of him with his grandson, William Mundy, by Charles Turner (after R. R. Reinagle). The picture also features in the foreground the manuscript of Mundy's ‘'The Fall of Needwood Forest
Needwood Forest
Needwood Forest was a large area of ancient woodland in Staffordshire which was largely lost at the end of the 18th century.-History:Needwood Forest was a chase or royal forest given to Henry III's son Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster, in 1266...
’'. South Derbyshire magistrates court also own an oil painting of him "after" Thomas Lawrence
Thomas Lawrence
Thomas Lawrence may refer to:*Sir Thomas Lawrence, British artist, President of Royal Academy*Thomas Lawrence , mayor of colonial Philadelphia*T. E. Lawrence, "Lawrence of Arabia"*Thomas Lawrence , U.S. politician...
.
In 1830, two volumes were published which made available the many poems not published during Mundy's lifetime. Finally, in 1851, William Mundy paid for a memorial window to his grandfather to be installed in Markeaton church.
Major works
- Needwood Forest, 1776, by Francis Noel Clarke Mundy, Brooke BoothbySir Brooke Boothby, 6th BaronetSir Brooke Boothby, 6th Baronet was an English linguist, translator, minor poet and landowner in Derbyshire. He was part of the intellectual and literary circle of Lichfield which included Anna Seward and Erasmus Darwin. He welcomed Jean-Jacques Rousseau to Ashbourne circles in 1766 when the...
, Erasmus DarwinErasmus DarwinErasmus Darwin was an English physician who turned down George III's invitation to be a physician to the King. One of the key thinkers of the Midlands Enlightenment, he was also a natural philosopher, physiologist, slave trade abolitionist,inventor and poet...
and Anna SewardAnna SewardAnna Seward was an English Romantic poet, often called the Swan of Lichfield.-Life:Seward was the elder daughter of Thomas Seward , prebendary of Lichfield and Salisbury, and author...