Sir Richard Francis Burton

Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) was a renowned Victorian explorer and author.

He travelled widely while serving in the East India Company’s army and within the British Foreign Office including Fernando Po, West Africa, Brazil, Syria, and Trieste. He is best known for his expedition to the source of the Nile with John Hanning Speke in the 1850s. Relying on the knowledge and expertise of indigenous Africans guides, Burton and Speke travelled to the shores of the African great lakes.

Sir Richard became fascinated by Islamic culture during his time in India and mastered Arabic and Hindī. He also became proficient in Marāṭhī, Sindhī, Punjābī, Telugu, Pashto, and Multānī. He translated Arabic works such as The Perfumed Garden and the only full edition of 1001 Arabian Nights. In 1853, Burton controversially disguised himself as an Afghan Sheik and performed the Hajj, the sacred pilgrimage to Mecca. He became the most famous non-Muslim to do so and his subsequent book Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Mecca (1855–56) serves as a rare record of 19th century Islamic culture.

Towards the end of his life, Sir Richard and Lady Isabel discussed his wishes for burial. He stated: “I should like us both to lie in a tent side by side”.

Lady Isabel Burton

Lady Isabel Burton (née Arundell) (1831-1896) believed she was destined for a life of adventure and marry a man that would show her the world. Her memoirs are a striking insight into the internal world of an adventurous and confident young woman.

“I should love Richard’s wild, roving, vagabond life; and as I am young, strong, and hardy, with good nerves… I should be just the girl for him; I could never love any one who was not daring and spirited.”

However, she is often overlooked, or even criticised, in stories about her husband. In order to protect Sir Richard’s reputation, she destroyed his diaries and the controversial revised and full translation of The Scented [Perfumed] Garden, much to the dismay of Burton enthusiasts and biographers.

Lady Isabel was a devoted wife, friend, and travel companion to Sir Richard. She travelled with him to islands off the West African coast, South America, Syria, and India. She also travelled with Sir Richard through the desert to the ancient city of Palmyra.

The Mausoleum

The Burton Mausoleum is made of Forest of Dean sandstone, designed and carved to resemble the tents Sir Richard and Lady Isabel slept in when travelling in Syria. It is 12 feet square and 18 feet high adorned with a 9-point gilt star and a pelmet enriched with stars and crescents.

Inside, the floor is paved in Carrara marble (Tuscany, Italy) with black marble inserts. The ceiling and interior are painted to represent the heavens including imagery of angels in sunbursts. At the East end there is a marble altar and tabernacle, along with a number of Burton’s possessions including lamps and camel bells that would tinkle when the door was opened.

As per her instructions, Lady Isabel’s coffin was laid to rest beside her husband in the mausoleum and the opposite page of the door’s marble book reads: “Isabel, His Wife”.

Present Day

The mausoleum is a Grade II* listed building and will be undergoing a conservation project managed by Habitats & Heritage. It is a National Lottery Heritage Funded project, made possible by National Lottery players.

The door is currently sealed following a vandalism incident in the 1970s. It was last entered through the East window for a restoration project in 2010. The current conservation project aims to improve the accessibility and interpretation of the site.

For more information on the Burton Mausoleum and Burton: Exploring Without Boundaries please visit our website: https://habitatsandheritage.org.uk/get-involved/our-projects/burton-mausoleum/