The Tomb of Sir Richard Burton

Standing in front of the tomb 2019

Burton's Tomb c. 1891

Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) was a renowned explorer of the Victorian age. He was also a prolific writer, fluent in 29 languages, was a studious anthropologist, quite possibly a spy for the British Empire, a translator of exotic and risqué books such as the Kama Sutra and Arabian Nights, and an accomplished fencer. Recently I had the opportunity to visit the unusual mausoleum where he is buried.

 

The tomb looking somewhat out of place in the catholic cemetery

FENCING BOOKS

He wrote four books dealing with fencing:  A Complete System of Bayonet Exercise (1853), A New System of Sword Exercise for the Infantry (1876), The Book of the Sword (1884), and the Sentiment of the Sword (1911 – published posthumously).

LIFE OF BURTON

In a review of Isabel Burton’s 1893 biography of Richard, the London Times said of him "Few men of our time have led a more romantic and adventurous life than the late Sir Richard F. Burton. A consummate linguist and intrepid traveler, without a rival in his varied knowledge of men, races, and religions, the hero of innumerable adventures, and of more than one almost impossible undertaking, Burton stands forth in these humdrum days as a rare and almost unique personality.”

He was born in a seaside town of Devon, England in March of 1821. His father was an Irish-born British army officer who traveled extensively during Burton’s youth. Because of this he was educated by tutors, for which fencing was one of the few lessons he enjoyed.

Burton was expelled from Oxford in 1842, after which he enlisted with the army of the East India Company. His knowledge of local languages helped his work in surveying and intelligence.

In 1853 he disguised himself as an Islamic pilgrim and visited the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and gained fame upon the 1855 publication of his adventures in the book “Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to el Medinah and Meccah”. Following this he began his expedition to find the source of the Nile River in 1857 with John Hanning Speke. Controversy surrounded the bitter disagreement between the two men about their findings, which ended when Speke shot himself, either in a hunting accident of by suicide.

Isabel Burton 1869

In 1861 he married Isabel Arundell and the rest of his career involved the British Foreign Office, where the two lived in Brazil, Damascus, Syria, and finally in Trieste, Italy. He was knighted in 1886. Isabel shared in many of his adventures and activities, practicing fencing with him and with fencing-masters when he was away. 

Burton in his fencing outfit

Burton died in Trieste at the age of 69 from a heart attack. The design of the tomb was at Burton’s suggestion. Mary Lovell wrote in the Burton biography A Rage to Live that Isabel asked him if he preferred cremation. Burton replied with his usual joke “I do not want to burn before I have got to.” Not being able to cope with a burial at sea, Isabel asked if any other sort of funeral would do. “Yes,” he said, “I should like us to lie in a tent, side by side.” Burton’s funeral in England was on June 15, 1891, the tomb being completed shortly prior. Isabel died in 1896, and joined Burton in his tent.

EXTERIOR OF THE TOMB

The tomb is in the shape of a tent, not necessarily an Arab one as is often described, but more probably modeled on a tent that Richard and Isabel has used for their travels in Syria, tall enough to accommodate the 5’11’ Burton. Burton’s fascination for Arab culture is represented by such Islamic elements as the crescent and star motif around the roof edge, coupled with Isabel’s belief in Catholicism as seen by the crucifix atop the front. 

The exterior is made of Forest of Dean stone, while the inside floor is Carrara marble.

View of the tomb with the church in the background

View from the front of the tomb, where you can see the residential neighborhood in the background

PLAQUES

The front of the tomb bears three marble plaques, one styled as an open book and bearing Richard and Isabel's life dates, a larger tablet containing a memorial poem by Justin Huntly McCarthy, and a stone ribbon commemorating the donors who helped pay for the tomb. McCarthy was an Irish-born novelist and poet who translated some Persian works and helped with one of the publications of the Arabian Nights titled Lady Burton’s Edition of Her Husband’s Arabian Nights. Translated literally from the Arabic. Prepared for household reading by Justin Huntly McCarthy.

THE WINDOW

A window at the rear of the tomb can be accessed by an iron ladder. From it you can view the interior of the tomb. Now plate glass, the window was originally made of stained glass.

 

The window in the back of the tomb, where you can view the interior

Maria takes a peek, as well

 INTERIOR OF THE TOMB

 Through the window can be seen the interior of the tomb. To the left is Isabel’s mahogany coffin, and on the right is Richard’s steel coffin.

The facing wall has a mirror that reflects a small altar underneath the window. The altar holds a crucifix, censers and candleholders. Two glass flasks can be seen on the left of the altar, which are said to contain water from the sacred wells at Mecca that Burton had retrieved.

Large paintings hang over each coffin and glass lights are seen on the floor. Camel bells are strung from the ceiling which apparently would ring when the tomb door, no longer operating, was opened.

 

View from the window. Isabel's wood coffin on the left and Richard's steel coffin on the right

Looking towards the left side of the tomb (Isabel's coffin) from the window

Looking towards the right side of the tomb (Richard's coffin) from the window, with an odd glare on the bottom right.

LOCATION OF THE TOMB

The tomb is located in the churchyard of St. Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church. The church was built in 1852 in Mortlake, about 8.5 miles west of central London. The plot belonged to Isabel’s family. The churchyard is a short distance from the Thames, and is a quiet spot separate from the village life surrounding it.

If you plan to visit the tomb be aware that there are several churches with similar names in the London area The church can be accessed fairly easily with a train ride and a bit of walking. The address is 61 N Worple Way, Mortlake, London SW14 8PR, UK