Scientists in Westminster Abbey – Directory

Isaac Newton and James Stanhope memorials in Westminster Abbey
Isaac Newton and James Stanhope memorials in Westminster Abbey.

I have compiled a provisional list of scientists memorialised or buried in Westminster Abbey. The list merges information from two sources: Hall (1966) and Willoughby (2022). As a list, it reflects decisions made by those authors. To be sure, ongoing research will lead to revisions and additions. Updates will be added here. Suggestions for additions are welcome.

rev: 16 May 2026.

Directory of Scientists

Surname Firstnames B/D dates type location profession
Adams John Couch 1819–1892 Memorial North Choir Aisle Mathematician and Astronomer
Atwood George 1745–1807 Memorial St Margaret's Church Mathematician
Baillie Matthew 1761–1823 Memorial St Andrew's Chapel Physician
Baker Sir Benjamin 1840–1907 Memorial Nave (North Aisle) Civil Engineer
Bannister Sir Roger 1929–2018 Memorial Nave Neurologist and Athlete
Barrow Isaac 1630–1677 Burial South Transept Mathematician
Barry Sir John Wolfe 1836–1918 Memorial Nave (Window) Civil Engineer
Boulton Matthew 1728–1809 Memorial Nave Engineer
Brunel Isambard Kingdom 1806–1859 Memorial Nave (South Aisle) Civil Engineer
Buchan William 1729–1805 Burial West Cloister Physician
Buckland William 1784–1856 Memorial Nave (South Aisle) Geologist
Cavendish Margaret 1623–1673 Burial North Transept Natural Philosopher and Writer
Chamberlen Hugh 1664–1728 Memorial North Choir Aisle Physician (Man-midwife)
Chambre John 1470–1549 Burial St Margaret's Church Priest and Physician
Chaucer Geoffrey 1343–1400 Burial South Transept Poet and Astronomer
Cockburn William 1669–1739 Burial Nave Physician
Conduitt John 1688–1737 Burial Nave (West End) Scientist (Master of the Mint)
Cook James 1728–1779 Memorial South Cloister Naval Officer, Hydrographer, Explorer
Darwin Charles 1809–1882 Burial Nave (North Aisle) Naturalist
Davy Sir Humphry 1778–1829 Memorial St Andrew's Chapel Chemist and Physicist
Delaval Edward Hussey 1729–1814 Burial Nave Chemist
Denham Sir John 1615–1669 Burial South Transept Poet and Surveyor of the King's Works
Dirac Paul 1902–1984 Memorial Nave Theoretical Physicist
Faraday Michael 1791–1867 Memorial Nave Physicist and Chemist
Fletcher Sir Richard 1768–1813 Memorial North West Tower Soldier and Engineer
Florey Howard (Baron) 1898–1968 Memorial Nave (North Aisle) Pathologist
Folkes Martin 1690–1754 Memorial Nave (South Aisle) Antiquarian and Archaeologist
Freind John 1675–1728 Memorial Nave (South Aisle) Physician and Chemist
Graham George 1673–1751 Burial Nave Clockmaker and Instrument Maker
Green George 1793–1841 Memorial Nave Mathematician, Physicist and Miller
Gurney Sir Goldsworthy 1793–1875 Memorial St Margaret's Church Surgeon, Chemist and Engineer
Hakluyt Richard 1553–1616 Burial South Transept Geographer
Hales Stephen 1677–1761 Memorial South Transept Physiologist and Pneumatic Chemist
Halley Edmond 1656–1742 Memorial Cloisters Polymath (Astronomer, Mathematician)
Harrison John 1693–1776 Memorial Nave Clockmaker (Horologist)
Hawking Stephen 1942–2018 Burial Nave Theoretical Physicist and Cosmologist
Herschel Sir John 1792–1871 Burial Nave (North Aisle) Polymath (Astronomer)
Herschel Sir William 1738–1822 Memorial Nave Musician and Astronomer
Hooke Robert 1635–1703 Memorial Nave Polymath (Curator of Experiments)
Hooker Sir Joseph 1817–1911 Memorial North Choir Aisle Botanist
Horneck William 1684–1746 Burial South Transept Engineer
Horrocks Jeremiah 1618–1641 Memorial Nave (West End) Astronomer
Hunter John 1728–1793 Burial Nave (North Aisle) Surgeon and Anatomist
Jebb Sir Richard 1729–1787 Memorial West Cloister Physician
Joule James Prescott 1818–1889 Memorial North Choir Aisle Physicist
Kelvin Lord (William Thomson) 1824–1907 Burial Nave Physicist and Engineer
Leake John 1729–1792 Burial North Cloister Physician
Lister Joseph (Baron) 1827–1912 Memorial North Choir Aisle Surgeon
Lyell Sir Charles 1797–1875 Burial Nave (North Aisle) Geologist
Maxwell James Clerk 1831–1879 Memorial Nave Physicist and Mathematician
Mead Richard 1673–1754 Memorial Nave (North Aisle) Physician and Classical Scholar
Moray Sir Robert 1608–1673 Burial South Transept Soldier, Statesman, Natural Philosopher
Newton Sir Isaac 1642–1727 Burial Nave Scientist, Mathematician, Astronomer
Parsons Sir Charles 1854–1931 Memorial Nave (North Aisle) Marine Engineer and Scientist
Plukenet Leonard 1642–1706 Burial St Margaret's Church Botanist
Pringle Sir John 1707–1782 Memorial South Transept Military Physician
Raffles Sir Stamford 1781–1826 Memorial North Choir Aisle Naturalist and Statesman
Ramsay Sir William 1852–1916 Memorial North Choir Aisle Chemist
Rayleigh Lord (John Strutt) 1842–1919 Memorial St Andrew's Chapel Physicist
Rennell James 1742–1830 Burial Nave Cartographer (Geographer)
Royce Sir Henry 1863–1933 Memorial Nave (North Aisle) Engineer
Rumsey James 1743–1792 Memorial St Margaret's Church Marine Mechanical Engineer
Rutherford Ernest (Baron) 1871–1937 Burial Nave Physicist
Simpson Sir James Young 1811–1870 Memorial St Andrew's Chapel Physician
Smeaton John 1724–1792 Memorial Nave (North Aisle) Civil Engineer
Spottiswoode William 1825–1883 Burial South Transept Mathematician, Physicist, Linguist
Sprat Thomas 1635–1713 Burial South Aisle Clergyman and Historian of Royal Society
Stephenson George 1781–1848 Memorial Nave (North Aisle) Colliery and Railway Engineer
Stephenson Robert 1803–1859 Burial Nave Civil Engineer
Stokes Sir George Gabriel 1819–1903 Memorial North Choir Aisle Physicist and Mathematician
Telford Thomas 1757–1834 Burial Nave Civil Engineer
Thomson Sir Joseph John 1856–1940 Burial Nave Physicist
Tompion Thomas 1639–1713 Burial Nave Clockmaker
Trevithick Richard 1771–1833 Memorial Nave (North Aisle) Engineer
Vincent William 1739–1815 Memorial South Transept Geographer and Dean
Wallace Alfred Russel 1823–1913 Memorial North Choir Aisle Naturalist
Ward Joshua 1685–1761 Burial South Transept Manufacturing Chemist
Watt James 1736–1819 Memorial St Paul's Chapel Engineer and Scientist
Whittle Sir Frank 1907–1996 Memorial Nave (North Aisle) Aeronautical Engineer
Willis Thomas 1621–1675 Burial North Transept Physician and Natural Philosopher
Wintringham Sir Clifton 1710–1794 Memorial North Transept Military Physician
Wolfe-Barry Sir John 1836–1918 Memorial Nave Civil Engineer
Woodward John 1665–1728 Burial Nave (North Aisle) Physician, Naturalist, and Geologist
Wren Sir Christopher 1632–1723 Memorial North Choir Aisle Polymath (Architect, Astronomer)
Young Thomas 1773–1829 Memorial St Andrew's Chapel Physician, Physicist, Egyptologist
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