Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)
Sculptor: Nicholas Stone
This wall memorial of the Renaissance composer was assembled from a number of different stones by the sculptor and stonemason Nicholas Stone. The bust and several architectural components are carved from a white marble and are counterpointed by the use of black marble. Two small rectangular inset panels are located above the bust and these may be Portoro Marble, an Italian black marble with white veining, as used on the near contemporary cathedral font (see above). One local stone has been introduced into the largely black and white memorial in the form of Bethersden Marble located beneath the Latin inscription. This stone has weathered to a brown colour through the oxidation of small quantities of iron in the limestone, but when freshly polished and newly installed, would have complemented the monochrome theme. Click here for more on Gibbons.
