The images on this page were provided through
the kind offices of the staff of Lichfield Cathedral, to where Bishop Selwyn
was translated in 1868, and of The Revd Dr Warren Limbrick, who obtained photographs specifically for the website.
Following his death in 1878 Bishop Selwyn was interred beside
Lichfield Cathedral and his many friends contributed to the building of a
memorial in the Lady Chapel.
The marble memorial to Bishop Selwyn is in
the form of a simple marble plinth beneath an idealised gisant, a life-sized
effigy of the Bishop lying in repose, with hands in prayer and a pastoral
staff held under his arm. This is contained in a small room which is
decorated to reflect his enduring love for New Zealand and its indigenous
people.
A scene near the side of his head depicts a New Zealand Maori warrior
standing in front of whare (houses) while in the background a waka
(traditional canoe) is being rowed into a rising sun.
The end of the room nearest the head depicts the Coats of Arms of the
Bishopric of New Zealand and the Dioceses of New Zealand which existed at
the time of his death. That shown for Dunedin was possibly a home-grown design, and is not the same as the Arms granted later and in use now. |