The first Duke of Buckingham had a keen interest in Sir Bevil Grenville, a Royalist in the Civil War who was killed at the Battle of Lansdown Hill. The following entry in the 1848 Stowe sale catalogue suggest the plate was made for the second Duke of Buckingham (i.e. it does not refer to the "late Duke") but the first Duke is more likely. The plate was sold to the manufacturers, Messrs Garrard of Panton Street, London for about £50,000 in today's money.

[Lot] 768. The death of Sir Bevil Grenville, at the battle of Lansdown Hill, with eight small branches for lights: 1591 oz, 10 dwt., at 10s 5d per oz. [Sold to] Garrard. £828 18s 1d. This lot formed the great feature in today’s sale. It was, indeed, one of the finest pieces of plate in the whole collection; and, like the two preceeding groups, was from the design of Mr Cottrell, and the manufactury of Messrs. Garrard.[1] The subject was illustrative of the death of Sir Bevil Grenville, one of the most esteemed royalist officers under Charles I, who was killed at the battle of Landsdown Hill, near Bath, on the 5th of July 1643. Lord Clarendon thus describes the death of this valiant man. The object was to dislodge the Parliamentary army, under Sir William Waller, from an elevated position. For this purpose, “Sir Bevil Greenvil [sic] advanced with a party of horse on his right hand, that ground being best for them; and his musketeers on the left; himself leading up his pikes in the middle; and, in the face of their cannon and small shot from the breast-work, gained the brow of the hill, having sustained full charges of the enemy’s horse; but, in the third charge, Sir Bevil Greenvil’s horse failing, and giving ground, he received, after other wounds, a blow on the head with a pole-axe, with which he fell […].” Lord Clarendon adds:–“In this battle, on the King’s part, there were more officers and gentleman of quality slain than common men, and more hurt than slain. That which would have clouded any victory, and made the loss of any others less spoken of, was the death of Sir Bevil Greenvil, who was indeed an excellent person, whose activity, interest, and reputation, was the foundation of what had been done in Cornwall, and his temper and affections so public that no accident which happened could make any impression on him, and his example kept others from taking anything ill, or at least seeming to do so. In a word, a bright courage and gentler disposition were never married together to make the most cheerful and innocent conversation.” This piece of plate was made expressly for the Duke of Buckingham. It is a magnificent ornament, and the interesting historical incident above narrated is very graphically interpreted by the artist. The first offer, when the lot was put in, was 6s per ounce, which gradually increased to 10s 5d, at which amount it was knocked down to Mr Garrard. Lieutenant-General Sir Edward Kerrison, Bart. M.P. of Oakley Park, Suffolk, has since become the possessor of the group for £978 18s.

[1] Robert Garrard [II] (London, 1793-1881).