Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, Naval officer and privateer

1650 - 1707  (~ 56 years)

• Name	Cloudesley Shovell
  Prefix	Admiral Sir
  Suffix	Naval officer and privateer
  Born	c Nov 1650	Cockthorpe, Norfolk, England
  Christened	25 Nov 1650	Cockthorpe All Saints, Norfolk, England
  Gender	Male
  Event:	1692	Grant of arms in commemoration of his victories over the Turks and French
  	Gules, a chevron ermine, in chief two crescents argent, in base a fleur de lis or (a chevron with ermine pattern, two silver crescents above and a gold fleur de lis at the base)
  Event:	c 1694	Sir Cloudesley - connections with Kent
  	Fantastic online exhibitio about the life of Sir Cloudesley Shovell:[https://www.crayfordhistory.org.uk/projects/shovell-and-the-longitude/online-exhibition One page: Sir Cloudesley Shovell was born at Cockthorpe in Norfolk in 1650. He joined the navy at the age of 13 serving under Vice Admiral Christopher Myngs and later secured patronage of the Admiral Sir John Narborough, who died of fever in 1688 leaving behind wife Elizabeth, two sons, and a daughter. After rapid promotion Shovell became Rear Admiral of England, Admiral of the Fleet and Commander in Chief of the Navy. In 1689 he was knighted by King William III and the following year promoted to Admiral of the Blue. In 1702 Queen Anne made him Admiral of the White. In 1691, Sir Cloudesley married Elizabeth, widow of Sir John Narborough and subsequently had two daughters of his own. He was appointed Commissioner of Sewers responsible for flood defences along the River Thames between Deptford and Gravesend, which included the Crayford marshes. Shovell became Lord of the Manor when he purchased May Place Estate (currently the site of Barnehurst Golf Club) in Crayford and moved in with his wife, step children and his daughters in 1694. The location of May Place was convenient being mid-way between the Admiralty in London and Chatham dockyard, and also conveniently placed between Westminster and Rochester for his parliamentary duties. Sir Cloudesley was nominated by the navy and appointed an MP in 1689 for the City of Rochester. He held this position until 1701, and he was re-elected in 1705 this time by local landowners and held the post until his untimely death in 1707. He was a great benefactor to the City of Rochester, providing at his own expense the decorative plaster ceiling in the Guild Hall, the market bell clock and the façade for the Butchers Market building (now the Corn Exchange). Although being away at sea most of the time, he seemed much attached to the neighbourhood of Crayford, then only a small village. He attended St Paulinus Church and paid for the restoration of the Chancel and Nave, which were badly in need of repair. Fortunately this was captured by a local artist William Hubbard who painted a picture of this restoration which can still be seen today in the church. Although his tomb is in Westminster Abbey, there is a large plaque behind the lectern in St Paulinus Church making reference to a previous inscription expressing the gratitude of the parishioners for his sole contribution to the church restoration and sadness that it was later altered. His wife Elizabeth is buried in the church, as she remained in the manor house until her death in 1732. There is a magnificent memorial to her and the family in the Lady Chapel. [https://www.crayfordhistory.org.uk/projects/shovell-and-the-longitude/online-exhibition/sir-cloudesley-shovell-lord-manor-crayford Author: Jean Stewart and Joan Bishop - Page added 21/05/2018]
  Residence:	May Place, Crayford, Kent
  Died	22 Oct 1707	Porth Hellick cove, Isles of Scilly, England after being shipwrecked (reputedly murdered for his emerald ring when lying half-dead on the shore)
  	The Admiral was still living when he was thrown up in Porth Hellick cove. However [reputedly], a woman seeing an emerald ring on his finger, killed him for it. She confessed her crime on her death-bed thirty years later. Shovell's body was embalmed at Plymouth and made its way through the west country attended by great crowds and lay in state at his town house in Frith Street, Soho [https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/sir-clowdisley-shovell]
  Buried	22 Dec 1707	South choir of Westminster Abbey, London, England
  	He was buried with great ceremony in Westminster Abbey on 22nd December 1707 at midnight. The funeral was paid for by Queen Anne. His body was carried in state from his house in Soho Square to the Abbey. Large marble monument (about 20 feet high) to Admiral Sir Clowdisley Shovell, by the sculptor Grinling Gibbons. It was erected by order of Queen Anne in the south choir aisle of Westminster Abbey. Inscription: Sr CLOUDESLY SHOVELL Knt Rear Admirall of Great Britain and Admirall and Commander in Chief of the Fleet: the just rewards of his long and faithfull services. He was deservedly beloved of his Country and esteem'd, tho' dreaded, by the enemy who had often experienced his conduct and courage. Being shipwreckt on the rocks of Scylly in his voyage from Thoulon the 22d of October 1707, at night, in the 57th year of his age his fate was lamented by all but especially the sea faring part of the Nation to whom he was a generous patron and a worthy example. His body was flung on the shoar and buried with others in the sands; but being soon taken up was plac'd under this monument which his Royall Mistress has caus'd to be erected to commemorate his steady loyalty and extraordinary vertues. [Above courtesy Dean and Chapter of Westminster]
  Person ID	I4975	Grant
  Last Modified	25 May 2021

  
  

  Father	John Shovell, of Cockthorpe, Norfolk,   b. c Jun 1625,   d. c 1654  (Age ~ 28 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Anne Jenkinson,   b. c Jul 1628, Cley Next the Sea, Norfolk, England ,   d. Jun 1709  (Age ~ 80 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Family ID	F1943	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth Hill, (widow of Rear-Admiral Sir John Narborough),   b. 1661,   d. 1732, May Place, Crayford, Kent, England  (Age 71 years)
  Children	+ 1. Anne Shovell, Mrs Mansell,   d. 20 Oct 1741  [Birth] + 2. Elizabeth Shovell, Lady Romney, then Countess of Hyndford,   b. 2 Nov 1692,   d. 17 Nov 1750  (Age 58 years)  [Birth]
  Last Modified	3 Mar 2021
  Family ID	F1944	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell,1650-1707
  		Effigy of Sir Cloudesley Shovell from his memorial at Westminster Abbey. Courtesy Dean and Chapter of Westminster https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/sir-clowdisley-shovell
  		Large marble monument (about 20 feet high) to the famous Admiral Sir Clowdisley Shovell, by the sculptor Grinling Gibbons. It was erected by order of Queen Anne in the south choir aisle of Westminster Abbey. Photo courtesy Dean and Chapter of Westminster. https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/sir-clowdisley-shovell