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Monday 9 November 2015

Sir John Soane's family Red Telephone Box themed tomb in the Old St Pancras churchyard, London, United Kingdom.



Sir John Soane's family tomb in the Old St Pancras Churchyard (Since 1816). Design based on the Red Telephone boxes.

Soane's wife died on 22 November 1815, she had been suffering from ill health for some time. His wife's body was interred on 1 December in the #churchyard of St Pancras Old Church.

In 1816 Soane designed the tomb above the vault his wife was buried in it is built from Carrara Marble and Portland Stone. The tomb avoids any Christian symbolism (He was a #Deist), the roof has a pine cone finial the symbol in Ancient Egypt for regeneration, below which is carved a serpent swallowing its own tail, symbol of eternity, there are also carvings of boys holding extinguished torches symbols of death.

The inscription is:
Sacred To The Memory of Elizabeth, The Wife of John Soane, Architect She Died the 22nd November, 1815.
With Distinguished Talents She United an Amiable and Affectionate Heart.
Her Piety was Unaffected, Her Integrity Undeviating, Her Manners Displayed Alike Decision and Energy, Kindness and Suavity.
These, the Peculiar Characteristics of Her Mind, Remained Untainted by an Extensive Intercourse With The World.
The design of the #tomb was a direct influence on Giles Gilbert Scott's design for the Red Telephone Box.

Soane's elder son John died on 21 October #1823, and was also buried in the vault.

Soane died in 13 Lincoln's Inn Field at half past three on Friday, 20 January 1837. He was buried at this same #vault.