St Gregory's Church, Pottergate, Norwich, mural monument, east end of north aisle, to Sir Peter Seaman (1662-1715), Knight Batchelor, brewer, Mayor of Norwich 1707-8, Colonel of the City Corps and w:High Sheriff of Norfolk in 1710. Arms: Barry wavy of six argent and azure (Seaman) (canting arms, representing "the sea") T. Green, fecit. " P.M.S. Petri Seaman, Equitis Aurati, cuius exuviae hic juxta sitae sunt . . . . ob. vi. Iduum Jan., An. Dm. 1715, aetatis suae 53." (Source: Farrer, Edmund, Church Heraldry of Norfolk, Vol 3 (1893) Lynn, Norwich, Thetford, Yarmouth, p.62 [1])

Text per: /www.norwich-heritage.co.uk [2]

Sir Peter was the son of Thomas Seaman of Heigham. He was a brewer by trade and owned and lived in a large house near Anchor Quay. He also owned property in St Julians and a public house in St Swithins Alley the profits of which he left on his death to be used for “apprenticing poor boys.” He married Johanna Framlingham, the only child and sole heiress of Henry Framlingham.

In 1710 Peter was supported by Colonel Horace Walpole in his bid to be knighted who wrote to Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin (1702–1710), first minister of Queen Anne: “The Norwich people are very desirous that Colonel Seaman should be knighted and when I told them that it would be objected that he was a brewer, ‘twas answered that worse than he that had not one half of his estate had been knighed… ……. he has actually £2,000 per annum besides his stock in trade, which is considerable. His Father and his wife’s Father have been High Sheriffs of the county and he himself within two years of the latter; he is a Justice of the Peace and a hearty honest man.” He was obviously persuasive and in 1712 Sir Peter Seaman was received at St James and knighted by the Queen. It was noted in the Knighthood records in London: “Son of Peter Seaman, brewer, Norwich, £2,000 paid”

Sir Peter worshipped at St Gregory . In 1712 churchwarden accounts showed that Sir Peter Seaman had ‘new lined his pew on the North side of the chancel part of the nave’, where his mayoral irons, inscribed, Sir P. S., had been placed. He was buried in a vault in St Gregory near the North chancel door. The vault was later covered by a pew; it was opened a few years later when Sir Peter’s coffin was reported to measure 7 feet 1 inch long. He left £25 to pay for a monument to himself.

The Monument monument Peter seamanThe monument was carved by Thomas Green (c. 1659–1730) of Camberwell who has been described as “one of the outstanding statuaries of the first quarter of the eighteenth century”(R Gunnis). Representations of the deceased are rare amongst the eighteenth century monuments and the bust of Sir Peter Seaman is one of the earliest examples. Here he is depicted in gilt armour and wearing a long wig, holding a baton.The ornamental surround comprising a round headed niche flanked by pilasters supporting a broken segmental pediment was typical of the early eighteenth century. The monument is constructed predominantly of white statuary marble with a black carboniferous limestone niche.

A number of features have broken off the monument including : cherubs which used to be found in the niches, a spear and helmet.

Click here [3] for a readable view of the inscription

In 2007 the monument was restored by the Norwich Historic Churches Trust

Sir Peter Seaman’s Charity (Registered Charity No 311101) arises from the will of Sir Peter Seaman who died in 1715. The Charity is governed by a Scheme of the Charity Commission dated 19th November 1889 as varied be Schemes of the Charity Commission dated 6th January 1931 and 15th March 1932. Charity Objective: The principal objective of the charity is to provide grants for the promotion of education, including social and physical training, of young persons of the City of Norwich who are under the age of 21 and who, in the opinion of the Trustees, are in need of financial assistance. Grants are made in accordance with the Scheme and within the financial resources of the Charity. The objective of the Charity is to apply the cleared income of the trust fund to provide grants for the promotion of education, including social and physical training, of persons under the age of 21 as the Trustees in their discretion may from time to time determine. The area of benefit is the City of Norwich and the contiguous parishes of Old Catton, Sprowston, Thorpe St. Andrew, Trowse with Newton, Cringleford, Colney, Costessey, Taverham, Drayton, Hellesdon and Horsham and Newton St. Faiths. (www.greathospital.org.uk [4])

Text from Blomefield

Francis Blomefield, 'City of Norwich, chapter 42: West Wimer ward', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 4, the History of the City and County of Norwich, Part II (London, 1806), pp. 247-287 [5]

At the east end of this isle is St. Mary's chapel, in which is a vault for the Seamans; here hangs a hatchment of

Vere, quarterly gul. and or, four mullets counterchanged, impaling Seaman, Crest, a boar passant az. armed or.

This was for Frances wife to Thomas Vere, Esq. sister to Sir Peter Seaman, who was interred in the vault April 20, 1729.

There is a mural monument at the north east corner, with a bust of Sir Peter Seaman, holding a truncheon in his hand between two Cupids, one of which holds a spear, and the other a helmet.

P(erpetuae) M(emoriae) S(acrum) Petri Seaman Equitis Aurati Cuius exuviae hic juxta sitae sunt. Vir Famae integrae sine Fuco sine Fastu huius Civitatis aliquando Praetor Militiae Urbanae Tribunus Necnon Comitatus Norfolciae Vicecomes. Redditu anno ad binos pauperculos artifices erudiendos relicto in perpetuum. Obiit vi° Iduum Jan. Anno Dom. 1715 aetatis suae 53.^[1]

("Sacred to the perpetual memory of Peter Seaman, Golden Knight, of whom the remains are placed near here. A man of unbroken fame without pretence without haughtiness at some time Mayor of this City, Tribune of the City Militia and not least Sheriff of the County of Norfolk. From one year's income (he left) in perpetuity for two poor boys in order to study craftmanship. He died on the 6th day of the Ides of January in the year of our Lord 1715, (in the year) of his age 53")

Seaman: Barry wavy of six argent and azure over all a crescent gules, impaling Framlingham: Argent, a fess gules between three cornish crows (choughs) proper (Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, London, 1884, p.374 "Framlingham", with choughs), quartering: Three martlets in a tressure fleuré. Crest: A mast and tackle.