The memorial to Canon Hodge Mill at Ely Cathedral comprises a bronze recumbent effigy accompanied by two subsidiary figures at the foot of the tomb, representing an Indian student and a Cambridge undergraduate. Together, the figures articulate the educational and pastoral reach of the canon’s life and work.

The canon is shown lying in repose, hands raised in prayer, his elongated form emphasised by the broad, flowing treatment of the drapery. Philip suppresses anecdotal detail in favour of large sculptural rhythms, allowing the calm continuity of the folds to convey dignity and spiritual composure. The effigy avoids overt sentimentality, presenting death as contemplative stillness rather than narrative event.

At the foot of the monument, the two attendant figures kneel in quiet interaction. The Indian student and the Cambridge undergraduate are differentiated subtly through dress, posture, and physiognomy, yet unified by a shared attitude of reverence and attentiveness. Their restrained gestures suggest learning, transmission, and moral guidance rather than mourning alone, transforming the tomb into a statement of intellectual and spiritual legacy.

These subsidiary figures are not merely symbolic additions but form an essential counterpoint to the recumbent effigy, introducing human scale and relational meaning into the composition. Their inclusion reflects Philip’s sensitivity to commemorative narrative and his ability to integrate figurative sculpture within a coherent architectural and theological framework.

The memorial exemplifies John Birnie Philip’s ⓘ mature approach to ecclesiastical sculpture: academically assured modelling, emotional restraint, and a carefully balanced synthesis of portraiture, symbolism, and setting. It stands as one of the most thoughtful Victorian monuments at Ely, and a persuasive example of Philip’s under-recognised achievement.