Baron John Somers, St Mary’s Church, North Mymms, Herts, UK
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bill&ben
N 51° 43.519 W 000° 13.992
30U E 691085 N 5734111
Baron John Somers was Lord High Chancellor of England under William III and a pre-eminent architect of the constitution
Waymark Code: WMBNFY
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 06/06/2011
Views: 2
John Somers was born on 4th March 1651 at Claines near Worcester. He studied law at Trinity College,
Oxford and wrote many pamphlets on the legality of parliamentary rule and the rights
of parliament in the succession of kings.
He was elected to the convention parliament in 1689 and
played a leading role in drafting the 1689 Bill of Rights, which laid down the
rights of parliament and the rules governing the succession of monarchs. In May
1689 he became solicitor general and by April 1697 had risen to the post of
Lord Chancellor under William III. He was one of the managers of the union of
Scotland and England. From 1708 to 1710 he was Lord President of the Council. In
addition to his political life, he was also President of the Royal Society from
1698 to 1703.
The memorial is by Peter Scheemakers.
It carries the inscription
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
JOHN SOMERS, BARON OF EVESHAM.
LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR
OF ENGLAND . IN THE REIGN
OF KING WILLIAM III
DIED THE XXTH OF APRIL MDCCXVI
IN
THE LXVIITH YEAR OF HIS AGE.
TO WHOSE MEMORY THIS
MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY DAME ELIZABETH JEKYLL