Grave Mistakes: November 2014

Another entry in the "Cemetery Hall of Shame".

St Michael and All Angels, Clyro, Powys

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St Michael's church lies in the village of Clyro about 2km from Hay-on-Wye. The church with its north aisle, nave and chancel is wholly Victorian - only the lower stages of the west tower are late medieval. Internally there is little of pre-19thC date.

Another entry in the "Hall of Shame". Some of the gravestones have been fragmented by the weight of other stones placed on top of them.

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We disapprove of old gravestones being used to make a footpath.

United Reformed Church, Mill Street, Prees, Shropshire

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A local man told us that the church was not in use and that

the site was going to be turned into flats.

Claire and I both strongly disapprove of old gravestones being used to make a footpath.

Leo Coney was killed by lightning.

St Peter and St Paul, Sheinton, Shropshire

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We had to travel up a long lane to visit the church. When we arrived the sheep in the field opposite thought we had come to feed them and there was a mini riot when we didn't!

Leo Coney was killed by lightning. This is only the second time we have seen this cause of death mentioned on a gravestone.

Wilfred Owen was one of the leading poets of the First World War.

Shrewsbury Abbey, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

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The Abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, commonly known as Shrewsbury Abbey, was a Benedictine monastery founded in 1083 by the Norman Earl of Shrewsbury, Roger de Montgomery. A large amount of the monastery was destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, but a number of buildings, including the church were left intact.

Wilfred Edward Salter Owen MC (18 March 1893 – 4 November 1918) was an English poet and soldier, one of the leading poets of the First World War.

This was an impressive war memorial despite the soldier looking distinctly middle-aged.

St John the Baptist, Stokesay, Shropshire

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The church is situated close to Stokesay Castle. This explains why the cemetery seemed far more crowded than most we visit.

This was an impressive war memorial despite the soldier looking distinctly middle-aged.

More on how to "read" an ancestors grave.

St Mary the Virgin and St Chad, Brewood, Staffordshire

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A large church with a large churchyard around it. We were pleased to find such spendid tombs inside the building.

The oldest tomb in the church is that of Sir John Giffard who died in 1556, aged 90. His first wife who died is shown, by tradition, with her head on a pillow. His second wife, who outlived him, has no pillow. He had 18 children many of whom are shown in burial shrouds.

Some most attractive stained glass donated in 1955 to celebrate a golden wedding.

St Nicholas, Codsall, Staffordshire

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This was a large church with a long, thin cemetery on the other side of the lane at the rear.

Some most attractive stained glass donated in 1955 to celebrate a golden wedding.

How to "read" an ancestors grave.

St Peter, Astley, Worcestershire

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The church stands on a knoll dominating the surrounding area. Parts of the original early 12th Century nave and chancel remain, mainly on the south side, additions and alterations being made in the late 12th, 15th, 16th and 20th centuries.

Two tombs belonging to the Blount family are of interest for they show how the two men died. Walter Blount, who died in 1561, is shown wearing armour, with a helmet under his head, gauntlets by his side, a chain round his neck, an open book in his hand and a lion at his feet. He died by the sword at war. Robert, who died in 1573, is also in armour, but his hands are in an attitude of prayer and he has a dog at his feet showing that he died peacefully at home.

Elizabeth Matilda Taylor was deaf and blind for 70 of her 83 years.

St Michael and All Angels, Cofton Hackett, Worcestershire

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The church was in a peaceful location except when trains were ascending or descending the infamous "Lickey Incline" which ran alongside the graveyard.

Elizabeth Matilda Taylor was deaf and blind for 70 of her 83 years.

A memorial to the soldiers who died in the First Anglo-Sikh War

Worcester Cathedral, Worcester, Worcestershire

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Built between 1084 and 1504, Worcester Cathedral represents every style of English architecture from Norman to Perpendicular Gothic. It is famous for its Norman crypt and unique chapter house, As it is surrounded by secular buildings it is very difficult to photograph.

A memorial to the soldiers of the Worcestershire Regiment of Foot who died in the First Anglo-Sikh War. This was fought between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company between 1845 and 1846 and resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom.

An incredibly ornate memorial, quite unlike anything else in the graveyard.

St Mary the Virgin, Pembridge, Herefordshire

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The grounds around the church were particularly well maintained. The separate bell-tower contains massive 13th century timber supports.

An incredibly ornate memorial, quite unlike anything else in the graveyard.

John Beresford was "cruelly massacred" at Bareida on the east coast of Africa

St Paul, Tupsley, Hereford, Herefordshire

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The church had a surprisingly large churchyard behind it. It was nice to see so many people around - even if it was only parents taking their young children to and from a local school.

John Beresford was "cruelly massacred" at Bareida on the east coast of Africa in 1862 together with 14 seamen, under his command, who were the crew of two boats from HMS Peuguin (sic) that was on anti-slavery patrol.

Three children, Elizabeth, Ethel and Reginald Watts died within two days.

St Just in Roseland, Cornwall

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St Just in Roseland Church is a very special 13th century Church, with a 6th Century Celtic heritage, in a unique waterside semi-tropical garden setting.

Three children, Elizabeth, Ethel and Reginald Watts died within two days.

A double memorial to the Countess of Bradford and her teenaged daughter

St Andrew, Weston Under Lizard, Staffordshire

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Situated in the grounds of Weston Hall.

A double memorial to the Countess of Bradford and her teenaged daughter. The Countess died in 1842 having caught an infection from her daughter who died the next year.

Prince William died due to pilot error during an air-show.

Holy Cross, Bobbington, Staffordshire

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The site of our first memorial to a prince.

Prince William of Gloucester (William Henry Andrew Frederick; 18 December 1941 - 28 August 1972) was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of George V. He died due to pilot error during an air-show.

We love memorials that give details of a military career.

St Edith, Eaton-under-Heywood, Shropshire

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St Edith is said to be a daughter of King Egbert of Wessex. He founded a Benedictine nunnery in the Forest of Arden.

We love memorials that give details of a military career.

I'm sure that "Nana with the hat" will be amused that she is remembered in this way.

Whitchurch Cemetery, Whitchurch, Shropshire

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This was the largest cemetery we had surveyed for some months. The whole site was neatly kept and had all the graves in straight lines.

I'm sure that "Nana with the hat" will be amused that she is remembered in this way.

J Oliver served with the Imperial Camel Corps.

St John, Weston Rhyn, Shropshire

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There was a decent sized churchyard for us to survey but it was disappointing the the church was locked. This is too often the case in north Shropshire.

The Imperial Camel Corps Brigade (ICCB) was a camel-mounted infantry brigade that the British Empire raised in December 1916 during the First World War for service in the Middle East.

Three young children died within 3 weeks.

Ellesmere Cemetery, Ellesmere, Shropshire

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The cemetery was situated on a hillside above the Mere. The graves were pointing towards all four points of the compass which made our surveying much harder.

Three young children died within 3 weeks.

Henry William Boswell had two wives and a young son who drowned.

All Saints, Baschurch, Shropshire

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This seemed to be a large church, with an even larger churchyard, for the size of village it was serving.

Henry William Boswell had two wives and a young son who drowned.

Thomas Osborn was drowned when the "Jane Duchess of Gordon" sank near Mauritius.

All Saints, Northampton, Northamptonshire

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A cafe was occupying most of the entrance to the church.

Thomas Osborn was drowned when the ship "Jane Duchess of Gordon" sank near Mauritius in the Indian Ocean in 1809.

A particularly colourful and ornate war memorial.

St Edward the Confessor, Knighton, Powys

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Knighton was the quietest small town we have ever visited. The graveyard had one spectacular find plus some other unusual discoveries - just the sort of place we love to visit.

Inside the church there was a particularly ornate war memorial.

The number 7 looks suspiciously like an upside down 2.

St Padarn, Crossgates, Powys, Wales

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St Padarn was an early 6th century sanctified British Christian abbot-bishop.

The number 7 looks suspiciously like an upside down 2.