In the late 18th C and early 19th C when members of the Lucas were buried Saint Giles Hill graveyard covered half of its current area and was surrounded by chalk grasslands on the north, east and west sides. Situated at the top of a north-facing slope it commanded brilliant views over the itching valley to the north. According to records it was fenced, the current flint wall being built in the 1870’s. The Southern boundary was originally bounded by Spice Road a remnant of the St Giles Hill Fair community road network. Palm Hall stood on the Southwest side, now the location of Milesdown.
The southwest corner of the graveyard (section A; ) is dominated by burials of the Lucas family.
The monuments comprise three splendid early 19th C box tombs and a line of headstones. Some members of this family were important builders in the city. The occupations of builder, bricklayer and stone mason were very important in a vibrant city and some of the people laid to rest in St Giles Hill Graveyard worked on important buildings in the city.
There are three box tombs of the Lucas family. The two shown in the photo below both belonged to builders of the Lucas family.
One of the box tombs (memorial no. 3) belongs to Henry Lucas and his wife. Henry died in 1827 at the age of 84. His profession is mentioned in the inscription on the south side of his tomb.
The Inscription reads, “He whose merits will be remembered by future generations. Needs no costly monument to tell. Here lies Mr. Henry LUCAS of East Soke near the city of Winchester. Builder. He closed this life like the righteous man. Peace and resignation on the fifteenth day of March A.D. 1827 aged 84. Sacred To The Memory Of Lydia LUCAS wife of the late Henry LUCAS, Builder. Who departed the life November 23nd 1828 aged 90 years.”
British marriage license documents record the marriage of Henry LUCAS, of St. Peter Cheesehill, Winchester, builder, and widow aged 50, to Lydia Plott, of St. Maurice, spinster also 50, at St. Maurice on 10th April 1790. Lydia’s father was John Plott, of Winchester, gentleman, and bondsman. There is some uncertainty about the dates. The details given in the inscription suggest that our Henry was born in 1743. In this record, Henry is described as a widower.
A search of the Hampshire marriage registry reveals that a Henry Lucas of St Johns Winchester was married on 30 Oct. 1771. The bride was Frances Nicholas of St Peters Cheeesehill, Winchester. This Henry Lucas is listed as a bricklayer and bachelor aged 40 years and Frances as a 40-year-old widow. However, Henry’s age does not match so they could be different people with the name Henry Lucas. Our henry Lucas would have been 31 years old. Perhaps the marriage date is incorrect (1781 not 1771) or perhaps Henry’s age was stated incorrectly.
Frances Lucas’s maiden name was Lambard. She married Richard Nicholas in 1754 at the age of 24 years. Richard died in August 1770 at the age of 46 years and was buried in St Giles Hill Graveyard (memorial no. 226). According to the inscription on the gravestone, he had seven children all of which died in their infancy. Presumably, Frances Lucas was their mother. She remarried the year after his death in October 1771 perhaps through necessity.
A headstone in the same area of the graveyard as Richard Nicholas (memorial no. 228) bears the inscription “In memory of Frances LUCAS wife of Henry LUCAS and late wife of Richard NICHOLAS who died Nov. 18 1782 aged 52 years.” It is probable that Richard was also a builder.
According to Beatrice Clayre a researcher from Winchester Excavations, there were at least two builders with the name Henry Lucas. There are records of a Henry Lucas working between 1770 and 1799 who repaired the Great Hall, and other county buildings, he also worked in the Cathedral Close (1786-93) and on the building of St Peter’s (Roman Catholic) chapel in 1792.
There was also a John Lucas in 1757 who worked on the King’s House. This could be the John Lucas on a second box tomb (mem no.2). John Lucas may have been the brother of the Henry Lucas discussed above. He was married to Sarah Hall Lucas. They had one son Henry Lucas Esq. whose occupation is not known.
The inscriptions on the box tomb read as follows. South side. Sacred to the memory of Henry Lucas Esq. who departed this life on the 24th of April 1818 aged 40 years. Also of Mr. John Lucas father of the above Henry Lucas Esq. who departed this life on 20 March 1778 age 37 years. Front – Sacred to the memory of Mrs Sarah Hall who died January 22, 1822, mother of H. Lucas Esq. north side – Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Sarah Northover who departed this life the 9th day of January 1821 aged 29 years. also two of their beloved children who died in their infancy she being the eldest and beloved daughter of John Lucas of Southampton and the niece of Henry Lucas.
Sarah Northover was the daughter of John and Sarah Lucas. She married Richard Northover in 1818. Richard was a Linen-draper with a shop in Winchester High St. Sarah dies 3 years after the marriage possibly during childbirth. Richard married again and is also buried in St Giles Hill Graveyard with his second wife Elizabeth (mem no. 288).
The third box tomb belongs to another John Lucas. He was a bricklayer born in 1774. He married Elizabeth Webb in 1805. They had 4 children. Child mortality was high in the early 19th C and three of them died at an early age.
The fourth child Emilia-webb Lucas married Henry Barnes in 1828 at the age of 18 years. She was living in St Bartholomew, Hyde with her guardian John Theophilus Lewis, and Elizabeth her mother. Her father John died in 1820. The short inscription on the south side of the box tomb reads “In memory of John LUCAS who departed this life March 7th, 1820 aged 46 years”.
Elizabeth married John Theophilus Lewis in 1825. He was an important engraver and had an office in Hyde Winchester before moving to Southhampton. Elizabeth dies in 1830 and was buried with her first husband in St Giles Hill graveyard. The inscription on the north side of the box tomb reads “In memory of Elizabeth LEWIS the wife of John Theophilus LEWIS and widow of John LUCAS who departed this life 12th March 1830 aged 49 years”.
