He died in a seaplane accident - "He knew not fear".

 

The Cemetery and Mausoleum, Weston Under Lizard, Staffordshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

This was situated just off the main road close to Weston Hall.

 

"He knew not fear" seems a very fitting epitaph to put on the grave of somebody who died on active service. There is a further memorial to him in the nearby church of St Andrew.

 

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A charming statue of a young child.

 

St Kenelm, Clifton-upon-Teme, Worcestershire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

Saint Kenelm (or Cynehelm) was an Anglo-Saxon saint, venerated throughout medieval England, and mentioned in the Canterbury Tales. The church was notable for the large numbers of slate memorials in the floor.

 

A charming statue to commemorate Charles Hill who died in 1899 aged 4.

 

 

 

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Amy died on her 12th birthday

 

St Mary the Virgin, Middleton on the Hill, Herefordshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

This was our first visit on a frosty January day. It was lovely to see snowdrops in flower.

 



 

Amy Fanny Palmer died on her 12th birthday. Even the stones

had a coating of frost which somehow seemed appropriate.

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The dates of birth and death don't make sense

 

St Kenelm, Clifton-upon-Teme, Worcestershire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

Saint Kenelm (or Cynehelm) was an Anglo-Saxon saint, venerated throughout medieval England, and mentioned in the Canterbury Tales. The church was notable for the large numbers of slate memorials in the floor.

 

 The dates of birth and death don't make sense. William appears to have died nine months before he was born.

 

 

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James "died suddenly in the hunting field".

 

St Kenelm, Clifton-upon-Teme, Worcestershire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

Saint Kenelm (or Cynehelm) was an Anglo-Saxon saint, venerated throughout medieval England, and mentioned in the Canterbury Tales. The church was notable for the large numbers of slate memorials in the floor.

 

 

James Bradley "died suddenly in the hunting field".

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Have you heard of a "pardon monument"?

 

St Michael and All Angels, Edvin Ralph, Herefordshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

Under the tower of the 12th century church there are seven monuments of great historical interest. Sadly the description included in the small guide book is very hard to reconcile with what a visitor to the church can see.

 

 

In the corner is an effigy of a knight and his wife dating back to about 1325. By their feet is a 14th century effigy, perhaps of a child. Nearest the camera is a rare and exceptional form of a pardon monument that records the granting of 30 days and 60 days of pardon from 2 bishops - the Latin inscription reads "Here liest the Lady Maud, she was the wife of Sir Thomas de Edefen. To whomsoever shall say a Pater and an Ave for the soul of Maud de Edefin, the Lord Bishop of Worcester will allow 30 days of pardon, and the Lord Bishop of Hereford 60 days of pardon".

 

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Eight children but none reached 8 years old.

St Mary and St Leonard, Wombridge, Shropshire

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There appeared to be some quite extensive archaelogical work going on in the churchyard.

 

 

Joseph and Ann Fletcher had eight childen but none lived long

enough to celebrate their eighth birthday.

 

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He was killed by a falling boulder while climbing.

Kilmuir Cemetery, Trotternish, Isle of Skye, Scotland

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

We discovered this cemetery on a gloriously sunny day during our time on the Isle of Skye.

 

 

Killed by a boulder while climbing Ben Dearg.

 

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A unique football/soccer related grave

Westbury Cemetery, Westbury, Wiltshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

This was the site of one of our very few cemetery related accidents! Claire

managed to hurt herself in a nasty fall on steep grass bank.

 

 

A very unusual football related grave.

 

 

 

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One of the most disrespectful graveyards ever!

All Saints, Mollington, Oxfordshire

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Imagine if you discovered the gravestone of your loved one left piled up in the corner!

 

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A heartwarming childrens' cemetery

Wombridge Cemetery, Wombridge, Shropshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

The cemetery was situated next door to the church of St Mary and St Leonard.

 

 

The section of the cemetery intended for children had this delightful representation of the nursery rhyme "Hickory, Dickory, Dock". Well done to all concerned.

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An unusual mosaic design for a gravestone

 

Bruton Cemetery, Bruton, Somerset

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

We stopped to have some lunch while we were on holiday - and what should we find?

 

 

 

An unusual mosaic design - quite unlike anything we had seen before.

 

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Two daughters of the Earl of Bradford fatally injured in a house fire.

 

St Andrew, Weston Under Lizard, Staffordshire

(Click on a image for a larger version)

 

 

The church can be found in the grounds of Weston Hall.

 

 

Lucy and Charlotte were two daughters of the Earl of Bradford who were

fatally injured in a house fire in 1858.

 

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Ann Wylde died in childbirth aged 16.

St Bartholomew, Tong, Shropshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

One of most spectacular country churches we have ever visited.

 

 

Ann Wylde died in childbirth aged 16.

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A Widow and a Relict

 

St Mary the Virgin, Cropredy, Oxfordshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

It is always rather disappointing when you discover that most of

the gravestones are totally unreadable.

 

 

Two, essentially identical, inscriptions but one uses the word "Relict" and the other "Widow". A widow is any woman who has been legally married to the deceased (although she is not necessarily married to him at the time of his death), and has not yet re-married; whereas the woman who was married to him at the time of his death is his relict, and remains so regardless of whether she ever marries again.

 

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This young actor died on stage

 

Cropredy Cemetery, Cropredy, Oxfordshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

A small but neat and well-maintained cemetery.

 

 

Here is more information about this sad story.

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Three generations killed in a bushfire.

 

Wigston Cemetery, Wigston, Leicestershire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

A large and quite well maintained cemetery so the lack of a proper board

at the entrance was somewhat surprising.

 

A total of 173 people died as a result of these bushfires.

 

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The grave of a lion tamer.

 

St Philip, Penn Fields, Wolverhampton, West Midlands

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

This is the church where we were married in 1977. Claire's parents were also

married here in 1954, as was Claire's sister Jane in 1980.

 

 

John Cooper was the most famous lion tamer of his day.

 

 

 

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"A protracted illness borne with Christian patience ..."

 

St Mary the Virgin, Humber, Herefordshire

(Click on the picture to see a larger version)

 

 

This is an excellent example of a church you would never discover by accident - lying as it does well off any through road.

 

 

"A protracted illness borne with Christian patience ..."

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Since this lady died in her sleep the exact date of death wasn't known.

 

St Michael and All Angels, Croft, Herefordshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

The church is situated next door to Croft Castle. We managed to persuade the

man in the car park to allow us to visit the church at no charge.

 

 

Since this lady died in her sleep the exact date of death wasn't known.

All my new discoveries are published first on the social history group on Facebook so if you want to keep up to date with what is happening you will need to subscribe to the group by clicking on the link below.
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This ornate tomb is over 500 years old!

 

St Michael and All Angels, Croft, Herefordshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

 

 

The church is situated next door to Croft Castle. We managed to persuade the

man in the car park to allow us to visit the church at no charge.

 

There was a helpful plaque on the wall next to this 500+ year old tomb.

 



 

All my new discoveries are published first on the social history group on Facebook so if you want to keep up to date with what is happening you will need to subscribe to the group by clicking on the link below.

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