The Mourning Ring of Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort

A black-enamelled band ring for the Duke of Beaufort which we sold in February 2023, is a fine example of Georgian mourning rings. These rings continued to inspire jewellers and jewellery wearers long into the Victorian era. Mourning jewellery was further popularised by Queen Victoria after the untimely death of her husband, Prince Albert.

We can see from the neat gold lettering of this ring that it commemorates Henry Somerset (1744-1803), 5^th Duke of Beaufort. Survived by his wife, Elizabeth Boscawen (1747-1828) and their 13 adult children, including their three influential sons. They were Henry, Charles and Fitzroy. Henry’s ring may have been worn by any of his many relatives.

Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort

Henry was only 12 years old when he succeeded his father as the 5^th Duke of Beaufort, 7^th Marquess of Worcester and 13^th Baron Herbert. His list of titles only grew throughout his life, which we know ended, according to this ring. He died on 11th October 1803, when he was 59 years old. His highest accolade was, arguably, becoming Knight of the Order of the Garter. This is the highest order of chivalry in the UK. Though he gained many influential positions, Henry was born into an already important family. The Somersets descended from Edward III and the Plantagenets. They were the ruling family that held the English throne from 1154 to 1485.

The Dukes of Beaufort

Since 1612, the Somersets have lived in and looked after the vast Badminton estate in Gloucestershire. The house has given its name to the game of badminton. Some people say that the game was invented at the house. This is from people playing their own version of the games battledore and shuttlecock. It could have even been the 5^th Duke’s sons and daughters. The dimensions of the house’s entrance hall match those of the modern badminton court at 13.4 by 6.1 metres. A paragraph about life in a country house in a Victorian journal from 1863 detailed the rules of this game. It noted that a string should be suspended across the room at five feet high to separate the players. This is an aspect of the game that set badminton apart from both battledore and shuttlecock.

A century later...

A century later, the estate became known for another sport: horse riding. The 5^th Duke was Master of the Horse to the Queen Consort from 1768 to 1770. His love of horses passed down through the family. In 1949, the 10^th Duke of Beaufort decided to host an annual riding event through the estate, with a specific focus on training riders for international events. The 11^th Duke was an accomplished rider himself, placing second in the Badminton trials in 1959. Today, Badminton Horse Trials are an important point in the equestrian events calendar.

Henry, 5^th Duke of Beaufort’s mourning ring encapsulates a small part of this highly influential family’s history. As a large family, the ring could have passed down from one of his many children – it may have even been worn during one of the first games of badminton!