Grave Mistakes: July 2014

Thomas Thomas died from "Confluent Smallpox"

St Endelienta, St Endellion, Cornwall

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The parish church of St Endelienta stands beside the road to Wadebridge and is a large building of the 15th century in Perpendicular style. On 25 August 2010 it was announced that the British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha had named their newborn daughter "Florence Rose Endellion" after the village.

Saint Endelienta (also Endelient, Edellienta or Endell) was a Cornish saint of the 5th and 6th century. She is believed to be a daughter of the Welsh King Brychan, and a native of South Wales who travelled to North Cornwall to join her siblings in converting the locals to Christianity.

Thomas Thomas died from "Confluent Smallpox" and his sister Edith died of Scarlet Fever.

Visited - June 2014

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The mail-coach fell into the River Frome after the bridge was carried away by floods.

St Mary, Credenhill, Herefordshire

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We were surprised to see a palm tree growing in the churchyard.

Thomas Hardwick was killed in 1852 when the mail-coach fell into the River Frome after the bridge was carried away by floods.

Visited - July 2014

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Fell from a plane at 6000 feet.

Market Drayton Cemetery, Market Drayton, Shropshire

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A medium sized cemetery with lots of interesting finds and some curious features such as the twin chapel with a central arch that "by order" should only be approached by a hearse driven in reverse gear.

Major Cuthbert Everard Brisley "On the 13th of July 1918 he took off on a training flight in Avro 504K D6361 with a mechanic, Private Fred Lythgoe as a passenger. While flying at a height of 6,000 feet he performed a loop and fell from the aircraft. Lythgoe was not experienced enough to keep control of the aircraft and he too was killed when it crashed at 11.50am near Spoonley. Cuthbert Brisley's body was found some distance away from the crash site."

Visited - March 2011

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The wreck of the "Hera" - the longest grave we have ever seen.

St Symphorian, Veryan, Cornwall

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St Symphorian has been patron of this church since at least 1281.

The German ship "Hera" of Hamburg became stranded on Gull Rock in February 1914. "The journey from South America had taken already 91 days and she had already been beaten heavily from the storms and her crew of 24 were exhausted. Captain Lorenz thought he was still further West near the Lizard and with poor weather and low visibility, at midnight the look-out shouted "Land-ho". Captain Lorenz gave the order to put her about, but resulted into crashing into Gull Rock." Only five of the crew were saved.

This is easily the longest grave we have ever seen.

Visited - June 2014

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The Sutton Coldfield train crash (1955)

St Peter and St Paul, Weobley, Herefordshire

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The tall 14th century tower is the only spire in the country to be supported by little flying buttresses connected to pinnacles rising from the tower. Unusually we were not the only visitors to the church on this sunny July afternoon.

The Sutton Coldfield train crash took place at about 16:13 on 23 January 1955 in Sutton Coldfield, a town now within the City of Birmingham, when an express passenger train traveling from York to Bristol derailed due to excessive speed on a sharp curve. Seventeen people, including the train crew, were killed and 25 injured.

Visited - July 2014

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A superb example of post-mortem photography on a grave.

St John-in-Bedwardine, Worcester, Worcestershire

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This is an "inner city" church so we were pleased to find that it was open.

A superb, and extremely rare, example of post-mortem photography.

Visited - June 2014

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"Killed when asleep and defenceless"

St Alunus (Allen), St Allen, Cornwall

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St Allen parish church was built in the Norman period but enlarged by the addition of the south aisle in the 15th century.

The church is dedicated to St Alunus but little is known of this saint.

"Killed when asleep and defenceless"

Visited - June 2014

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One of the most unusual family history resources we have ever seen.

St Mary the Virgin, Kington, Herefordshire

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St. Mary’s Church has a twelfth century nave and tower, a thirteenth century chancel, a fourteenth century south aisle and chapel and a nineteenth century north aisle.

One of the most unusual family history resources we have ever seen.

Visited - July 2014

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Another example of "homophone trouble". Can you spot it?

Presteigne Cemetery, Presteigne, Herefordshire

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It must be almost unique for a town cemetery to be in a different country to the town it serves. Presteigne Cemetery is in England and Presteigne is in Wales.

Another example of "homophone trouble". Can you spot it?

Visited - June 2014

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Davida died in a road accident while on her honeymoon.

St Laurence, Wichenford, Worcestershire

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A quiet country church a few miles west of Worcester. Originally 13th/14th century but heavily "restored" in 1861-63 by Abraham Perkins. Perkins added the upper stages of the tower, the spire and the south porch.

Davida Anne Merrell died in a road accident while on her honeymoon.

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A loving token from the parishioners

St Mary, King's Pyon, Herefordshire

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The large church door looked normal, but the third by the handle

actually folded inwards separately

"A loving token from the parishioners" is an unusual, but effective,
inscription to put on a war memorial.

This lady outlived her mother by over 92 years.

St Michael and All Angels, Lyonshall, Herefordshire

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The church has its origins in the late 12th century. There was extensive renovation in 1822 and again in 1872-3 when the porch was added.

This lady outlived her mother by over 92 years.

We haven't seen decorative tiles used in this way in a tomb before.

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.

This is an unusual design - we haven't seen decorative tiles used in this way before.

This could have been my grave!

St Etheldreda, Hyssington, Powys

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There had been an Open Church and Churchyard event two days previously so the whole site was looking at its best.

A computer expert who was also an amateur astronomer - it could have been my grave!

Standing guard over the deceased.

All Saints, Middletown, Powys

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The church is situated on a busy road. We had to sit in the car for a while before starting our survey to avoid getting soaked by a sudden shower.

An impressive statue of an angel standing guard over the deceased.

Owls, squirrels and elephants on a tomb.

St Bartholomew, Moreton Corbet, Shropshire

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The church is next door to some impressive castle ruins.

Both Claire and I studied Latin at school so we know that "Dum spiro spero" means
"While I breathe I hope".

The tomb of Richard Corbet includes owls, squirrels, elephants
and the heads of birds with their beaks holding the shields.

A poignant memorial made even sadder by a spelling mistake.

Kington Cemetery, Kington, Herefordshire

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It took the two of us nearly an hour to survey this cemetery although part of the time was spent having an interesting chat with a memorial mason.

This is a particularly poignant memorial made slightly sadder by the mis-spelling of "accidentally" as "accidently". Linda's sweetheart is buried next to her.

This young brother and sister were killed on their way to school.

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.

This young brother and sister died on the same day. They were killed in a car accident while being driven to school.

Four friends from the same street who served and then died in the Great War.

Holy Trinity, Calverhall, Shropshire

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Although the church was locked we were able to get

the key from the estate office just up the road.

Four friends from the same street who served and then died in the Great War.

Two mistakes in one word - "must do better" Mr Mason!

St John the Baptist, Bishop's Castle, Shropshire

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This church was not marked on the, usually fairly reliable, map we use to plan our visits. Luckily we drove past it on the way to an auction viewing.

Surely the last line should read "both most recently" or "both formerly"
but not as it has been engraved?

Supposed to have died by violent hands In California USA

St Uny, Lelant, Cornwall

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The church is medieval and entirely built of granite. Parts of the nave arcades are Norman, but all of the windows are Perpendicular in style. The earliest reference to the church is in 1170, when Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, referred to "The Church of Saint Euni". It is situated in a wonderful coastal location with a scattering of orchids around it.

"Supposed to have died by violent hands In California USA about the year 1870"

Arthur Griffiths was "suddenly called home" while he was visiting friends.

Christ Church, Lower Broadheath, Worcestershire

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We visited the church on a bank holiday so we were not surprised to find other visitors looking at the graves.

Arthur Griffiths was "suddenly called home" while he was visiting his former parishioners.