Nahum Tate
1652-1715
Born in Dublin. He
was a playwright who also produced “improved” and “happier”
versions of several of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Together with Nicholas
Brady, he compiled a metrical version of the psalms. He wrote the hymn
While Shepherds Watched their Flocks by Night. He became Poet Laureate in
1692. He was buried in the graveyard of St George the Martyr, Southwark,
London. When I inquired whether the grave still existed, the Reverend Tony
Lucas wrote to me stating that it was unlikely that a gravestone had ever
been erected as he had died a pauper, hiding from his creditors. Over 100
years ago a road was driven through the churchyard cutting it in half. The
larger part, now known as St George’s Gardens, had all the remaining
stones removed and stood against the walls. Since then, they have almost
all eroded or been broken beyond repair.
I had read in a BBC website that Tate was
actually buried in St Paul’s Cathedral. However I went to St Paul’s
and they could find no record of this.
Further
information is to be found in "The End - An Illustrated Guide to the
Graves of Irish Writers". Click here
to order a copy of this book
