Brooke Monuments To The North Of Church Of St Leonard

The Brooke monuments, located to the north of the Church of St Leonard, are dedicated to James Brooke, the First Rajah of Sarawak, who died in 1868, and his successor, Charles Brooke, who died in 1917. The memorials include a red Aberdeen granite chest tomb for James Brooke and an unusual carved cyclopic granite boulder for Charles Brooke. These monuments are enclosed by plain iron railings set on a granite plinth. After arriving in Sarawak in 1839, James Brooke took on the governance of the region, overseeing justice, trade expansion, agricultural improvements, and the suppression of piracy and head hunting. He was granted full sovereignty over Sarawak following a successful campaign against Sea Dyack pirates. In 1863, he returned to live in Burrator, Sheepscombe, and was succeeded by his nephew, Charles.