Charles Newton Memorial Tablet


The map below shows the ones on the ground floor of Trinity Arts Centre. More will be added once locations are confirmed. There is no map of the upper floor at present.

Memorial tablets in Holy Trinity church Tunbridge Wells

Charles NEWTON

Inscription: Newton, Lieutenant Charles, of the 16th Bengal Grenadiers, 4th son of John, of Calverley Park, Tunbridge Wells, killed at the Battle of Maharajpoor (Mararajpur) on 29th December 1843 in his 23rd year, buried the following day at the Camp Dunaila, where a monument has since been erected.

IN MEMORY OF/ LIEUT CHARLES NEWTON/ OF THE 16TH REGT BENGAL GRENADIERS/ FOURTH SON OF JOHN NEWTON/ OF CALVERLEY PARK, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, ESQ./ WHO, AFTER FOUR YEARS ARDOUS SERVICE IN AFGHANISTAN,/ FELL IN THE HARD FOUGHT BATTLE OF MAHARAMPOOR/ IN THE EAST INDIES ON THE 19TH DECEMEBER 1843,/ IN THE 23RD YEAR OF HIS AGE./ SEVERELY WOUNDED IN STORMING THE FIRST POSITION OF THE ENEMY/ HIS ARDENT COURAGE WOULD NOT SUFFER HIM/ TO LEAVE THE FIELD THOUGH REQUESTED TO DO SO/ AND IN LEADING HIS COMPANY/ TO THE ASSAULT OF THEIR SECOND LINE/ HE FELL PIERCED WITH FOUR OTHER BALLS/ AND DIED IN CAMP THE SAME EVENING./ HIS MORTAL REMAINS/ WERE CONSIGNED TO THE EARTH WITH MILITARY HONOURS/ ON THE FOLLOWING DAY, AT THE CAMP OF DUNAILA,/ WHERE HIS BROTHER OFFICERS/ HAVE SINCE ERECTED A MONUMENT TO HIS MEMORY/ EXPRESSIVE OF THEIR ESTEEM AND AFFECTION./ THUS DIED A YOUTHFUL SOLDIER, GENTLE, ABLE AND BRAVE;/ OF HOPEFUL PROMISE TO HIS COUNTRY./ BELOVED AND LAMENTED BY HIS COMRADES,/ EXPLORED NOW DEEPLY BY HIS SORROWING FAMILY;/ WHO YET SORROW NOT “AS OTHERS WHICH WHICH HAVE NO HOPE,”/ FOR THIS YOUNG SOLDIER WAS A CHRISTIAN,/ WHOSE FAITH WAS FOUNDED ON THE WORD OF GOD,/ AND WHOSE LIFE WAS RULED BY/ HIS HOLY PRECEPTS.

Buried in the cemetery? No

Tablet made by: Richard Westmacott and signed with his initials in the bottom left corner. Richard was a famous British sculptor based in London.

Location: 3 on map. This tablet is to the right (opposite the bar) as you enter Trinity from Church Road.

Accessibility: freely visible when Trinity Theatre is open.

Charles Newton memorial tablet by Richard Westmacott. Memorial tablets in Holy Trinity church Tunbridge Wells
Charles Newton memorial by Richard Westmacott

About Charles Newton

Charles Newton was the son of John Newton of Calverley Park, Tunbridge Wells. Mural tablet no 10 is for John Newton and his wife Anne who may be the parents of Charles Newton.

More details on the Imperial War Museum website.