Relhan Collection : 153 Ely Cathedral. Monument of Robert Steward

Relhan, Richard, 1782-1844

Relhan Collection

<p style='text-align: justify;'><p>Relhan has labelled this accomplished drawing with stunning heraldry in the shadow of the bottom step, ‘Robert Steward Esq. Ely Cathedral’. Robert Steward graduated at Cambridge 1520, became a Benedictine monk at Ely and was elected Prior in 1520. He was quick enough to change from supporting Katherine of Aragon to favouring dissolution of the monasteries in 1539 and so was able to become the first Dean of Ely, 1541-1557. The family tree of Steward alias Styward was complicated and authorities do not agree but he clearly had many relatives with important positions in the new Protestant church, largely due to his personal influence. He was related to (elder brother of?) Edward Styward of Teversham (<b>309</b>), who has a less grand but not dissimilar tomb in Teversham church, and was probably also uncle of Sir Mark Steward (<b>155</b>). He enriched his family by securing long leases on Ely property for his father, Simeon Steward. Among the dean's relations (brothers?) were Simeon Steward; Thomas Steward (d. 1568), who was pastor of the English church at Frankfurt during Mary's reign, and canon of Ely from 1560 till his death; <a target='_blank' class='externalLink' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Steward'>Edmund Steward</a> (d. 1559), chancellor of the diocese of Norwich until 1529, and afterwards chancellor of Winchester, and Nicholas Steward who was recommended by <a target='_blank' class='externalLink' href='https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Perne'>Andrew Perne</a> as his successor in the chancellorship of Norwich. This is a magnificent monument in Ely Cathedral, where the colours are bright, but the coats of arms in the lower panels are lost. Despite his Christian responsibilities and lack of any military involvement he is dressed in elaborate armour, his arm rests on his helmet and feet on a greyhound.</p><p>Venn; Wikipedia; ODNB 2004 (Steward, Perne)</p></p>