Aveline’s effigy as drawn by Charles Alfred Stothard ‘The Monumental Effigies of Great Britain‘.
Aveline/Avelina de Forz, Countess of Lancaster (1259-1274) was the first wife of Edmund ‘Crouchback’, first earl of Lancaster, first earl of Leicester and a Plantagenet prince (1245-1296). Edmund was the son of Henry III and his queen, Eleanor of Provence, while Aveline was the daughter of William de Forz , Count of Albermarle, Lord of Holderness (d.1260) and Isabella de Forz/Fortibus, suo jure Countess of Devon and Aumale and Lady of the Isle of Wight (1237–1293). Born on 20 January 1259, at Burstwick in Holderness, Aveline was ten years old when she married Edmund in Westminster Abbey on or around the 8 April 1269. Initially in 1268 Edmund had been granted royal permission to marry Aveline’s mother, Isabella, an extremely wealthy widow, after the death of her husband William de Forz, but in April of the following year he married the young Aveline instead (1). Isabella led a very eventful life which I won’t go into here suffice to say that at one point in her life, as a young widow. she had to hide herself from Simon de Montfort Jnr who was intent on making her his wife.
THE TOMBS
Theirs was the first recorded marriage in Westminster Abbey, Henry III’s new Gothic abbey, shortly after the translation of the relics of the Confessor and on her death, only five years later, Aveline was buried there in the Sacrarium on the north side of the altar (2). Her monument was amongst the first of many in the Abbey and her heavily worn effigy on top, wearing a fashionable coif, depicts a rather maturer lady than Aveline actually was. It is entirely exquisite and was drawn by Charles A Stothard in the 18th century while it still retained some of its original decoration and colouring. It is a wall tomb i.e. only open at the front with the effigy placed within a beautiful arch, the spandrels of which are richly decorated with foliage. The frontage of the tomb is divided into six compartments each one of which is a miniature copy of the main arch of the monument. Each compartment holds a male figure which may have represented Aveline’s relatives identifiable by miniature shields – which sadly have not survived – in the arch spandrels. Once richly gessoed and heavily gilded, Stothard recorded the mantle green, the surcoat red with purple lining and the kirtle blue. The cushion supporting her head is diapered with the arms of Lancaster and de Forz and held by two angels. Two little dogs, though damaged still nestle snugly at her feet for perpetuity. The monument does not stand in its original position having been moved to make room for the tomb of Aymer de Valence (d.1324). It should be remembered that these tomb chests/monuments did not always mark the grave of the person they were dedicated to. Its believed by Westminster Abbey authorities that Aveline may be buried beneath a slab with Cosmati work in St Edward the Confessor’s chapel but the inscription is mostly obscured by Henry V’s chantry. This is the northern slab with indents for two shields (probably the arms of de Forz and Lancaster) (3)
Aveline’s tomb and effigy, Westminster Abbey. Photo westminster-abbey.org
Aveline was declared of age sometime in 1273 before her death on the 10th November 1274. It has been speculated that Aveline may have died in childbirth but I have been unable to verify this and there were certainly many other causes that could have carried her off. Aveline dying at Stockwell Manor House, a property owned by her mother, begs the question did she die before she even had the opportunity to live with Edmund? Perhaps she was not robust or had been suffering for some time from a debilitating ailment? It’s interesting that her five sibings all died young and all before Aveline herself. We will of course never know. Two years after Aveline’s death Edmund would marry Blanche of Artois who survived him dying in 1302. .
On his death in June 1296 Edmund was first buried in The Minories also known as the Abbey of the Minoresses of St Clare without Aldgate, which he had founded jointly with Blanche. Four years after his death he was reburied in Westminster Abbey (although his heart remained at the Minories), his and Aveline’s monuments being separated by that of Aymer de Valence (d.1324). Perhaps Edmund had requested to be buried close to Aveline? However Blanche would be buried in France as she had requested.
Edmund Crouchback’s effigy as drawn by Stothard.
Another view of Crouchback’s effigy as drawn by Stothard 18th century.
Edmund’s effigy in Westminster Abbey. Photo @Dean and Chapter of Westminster.
The tombs of Aveline, Aymer de Valence and Edmund. A drawing by Herbert Railton 1910. The three tombs today form one range of breathtakingly beautiful sepulchral monuments..
STOCKWELL MANOR
Aveline died on the II November 1274 at Stockwell, now a busy South London suburb, and presumably in the medieval Manor House owned by her mother which once stood to the east of Stockwell Road, facing the north of Stockwell Green, the Green having disappeared a long time ago. Her mother survived her and after living an eventful life also died at Stockwell Manor house sometime during the night of 10 November 1293 (4). Nothing of this manor house has survived the centuries. However although the house, gardens and orchards – which were contained in about four acres – are now long gone – the area now covered by a housing estate, garages and wheelie bins – its memory still lingers on in the name of nearby Moat Place. Remains of the moat, alleged to have been 40-50 foot wide could still be seen as late as 19th century (5). There is also a nearby duck pond, a somewhat incongruous feature in such a built up area, which may also be the surviving remnants of the moat – but, as per usual, I digress…
It must have seemed to those that knew and loved Aveline that she was scarce here ere she was gone. However it’s comforting to know that she was not forgotten and some twenty years after her death the beautiful monument dedicated to her in Westminster Abbey was erected. The reasons for the 20 years delay are unknown (6). It still stands today – somewhat damaged but still enchanting.
Westminster Abbey. Burial place of Aveline de Forz and Edmund ‘Crouchback’ Plantagenet.
(1) Royal Tombs of Medieval England Mark Duffy pp81-82
(2) Historical Memorials of Westminster Abbey Dean Stanley 1869 p140
(4) Forz (Fortibus), Isabella de, suo jure countess of Devon and countess of Aumale (1237-1293). ODNB Barbara English.
(5) Survey of London Vol. 26 Lambeth: Southern Area 1956 pp88-95 Originally published by London County Council
6) Royal Tombs of Medieval England Mark Duffy p.84
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