Restoration of Burton's Mausoleum starts with aim to reopen the tomb for visits

"Conservation work has started on one of the most unusual mausoleums in the Roman Catholic world - the Bedouin tent shaped tomb of Sir Richard Burton and his wife, Lady Isabel. The Grade II* listed monument, which stands in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalen in Mortlake, is undergoing its first full restoration in more than 30 years to prevent it from falling into disrepair."

"A prolific explorer, writer and linguist, he translated One Thousand and One Nights, The Perfumed Garden and the Kama Sutra into English, and led expeditions in Africa and the Middle East, including the famed journey to locate the source of the River Nile. His wife, the devout Catholic Lady Isabel, designed and commissioned the mausoleum as their shared resting place, inspired by the tent they used during their expeditions in the Syrian desert after his appointment as British Consul in Damascus in 1869."

"Carved from Forest of Dean sandstone, the structure was designed to appear as if gently rippling in the breeze. Blending Christian and Islamic symbols, the tomb reflects Burton's lifelong fascination with Middle Eastern culture. A £249,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund is supporting the project, with £80,000 allocated to the physical restoration. The remainder will fund an educational programme designed to "unlock the secrets" of the mausoleum through interactive learning experiences."

Conservation work has begun on the Grade II* Bedouin tent-shaped mausoleum of Sir Richard and Lady Isabel Burton in the churchyard of St Mary Magdalen, Mortlake. The first full restoration in more than 30 years aims to prevent the monument from falling into disrepair. Sir Richard Burton was a prolific Victorian explorer, linguist and translator who rendered One Thousand and One Nights, The Perfumed Garden and the Kama Sutra into English and led notable African and Middle Eastern expeditions. Lady Isabel designed and commissioned the tent-inspired tomb. Carved from Forest of Dean sandstone, the mausoleum blends Christian and Islamic symbols. A £249,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund grant supports the project, with £80,000 for physical restoration and the remainder funding an educational programme and ambitions to reopen the previously blocked door for public access, subject to permission.

Read at ianVisits