This memorial dates to the period 1320-1350 - nearly 700 years ago!

 St Cosmas and St Damian, Stretford, Herefordshire

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This is a redundant church with just one service a year.

 

 

 These two figures date to the period 1320-1350 and are almost certainly Robert de la Bere and his wife Margaret. 

 

Visited - August 2013

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Without looking it up, what is a "silent key"?

 Methodist Chapel, Welsh End, Shropshire

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The Primitive Methodists built this chapel in 1859 to replace an earlier one built in 1828. It is still in use today and has its own burial ground attached.

 

 

A Silent Key is a Radio Operator who has passed away and can no longer be heard on the air waves around the world. 

 

Visited - October 2013

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A grave in the shape of a baby's cradle.

 St Mary, Dudlestone, Shropshire

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An ancient church dating from Norman times with an older Saxon preaching cross in the churchyard. The building commands spectacular panoramic views over Wales, Shropshire and Cheshire. We had an interesting chat to the man in the next door garden who is one of the team that keeps the churchyard tidy.

 

 

A grave in the shape of a baby's cradle.

 

Visited - September 2014

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Richard Butler had three wives - Fanny, Anne and Anne.

 St Mary, Whixall, Shropshire

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The church is sited some distance from any centres of population and we wondered how far the congregation has to travel to worship here.

 

 

Richard Butler had three wives - Fanny died in 1871 aged 30, Anne died in 1880 aged 33 and Anne died in 1911 (6 days after Richard) aged 76. 

 

Visited - October 2013

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Henry and Elizabeth Millichamp lost seven children in their infancy

St Michael, Brimfield, Herefordshire 

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A very noisy churchyard due to being within 200 yards of the A49.

 

 

 Henry and Elizabeth Millichamp lost seven children in the 1860s and !870s. - Elizabeth (3 weeks), John (2 days), Lizzie (3 weeks), Willie (3 weeks), Joseph (7 months), Ellen (13 months) and Annie (18 months). 

 

Visited - March 2011

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The "grave" of a fictional character - a "tourist trap".

 St Bartholomew, Tong, Shropshire

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This is one of most spectacular country churches we have ever visited.

 

 

The reputed grave of "Little Nell" - a fictional character from "The Old Curiosity Shop" by Charles Dickens. 

 

Visited - December 2013

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Eve picking the forbidden fruit!

Burton Latimer Cemetery, Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire. 

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This cemetery looked quite small from the entrance but stretched further back than was obvious at first sight.

 

 

 Eve picking the forbidden fruit - also notice that Clarice was 100 when she died. 

 

Visited - August 2012

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She died a few days after the birth of her 4th child

 All Saints, Northampton, Northamptonshire

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

 

 

"She died a few days after the birth of her 4th child". 

 

Visited - March 2014

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"Acciently" has been engraved instead of "accidentally".

 St Seiriol, Penmon, Anglesey, Wales

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Seiriol was an early 6th-century saint, who created a cell at Penmon Priory on Anglesey. He later moved to Ynys Seiriol (Puffin Island). He was a son of King Owain Danwyn of Rhos. According to legend, he and Saint Cybi were good friends and would meet weekly near Llanerchymedd. Saint Cybi would walk from Holyhead, facing the rising sun in the morning and setting sun in the evening. Saint Cybi was known as Cybi Felyn (Cybi the Tanned), as he was tanned during his journey. Seiriol, travelling in the opposite direction, from Penmon, would have his back to the sun. Thus, he was known as Seiriol Wyn (Seiriol the Fair).

 

 

"Acciently" has been engraved instead of "accidentally". 

 

Visited - August 2014

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This epitaph to a blacksmith is one of our favourite graves.

 St Mary Magdalene, Eardisley, Herefordshire

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Like many English villages, Eardisley has a parish church which is an excellent example of a medieval hall. When it was built it would have been used for markets, law courts, theatre and even sport, as well as for religious purposes, because it was the only community building of any size in the village.

 

 

 This epitaph to a blacksmith is one of our favourite graves. It is a shame that the stone has been so badly damaged. There was a similar epitaph at South Kilworth in Leicestershire. 

 

Visited - August 2014

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A modern statue of a mother and child form the central part of a memorial.

 St Tewennocus, Towednack, Cornwall

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The church is dedicated to St Tewennocus and did not become parochial until 1902. It was built in the 13th century and has a plain tower. A south aisle was added in the 15th century.

 

 

 A modern statue of a mother and child form the central part of a memorial. 

 

Visited - June 2014

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Killed one month after his wedding day.

 St Tudno, Great Orme, Llandudno, Conwy, Wales

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In the sixth century the young Tudno (pronounced “Tidno”) entered the monastery of Bangor is Coed, near Chester, which was renowned for its learning, patriotism and missionary zeal. In faith, Tudno then came to the ancient rock of the Great Orme and climbed the steep paths of the windswept headland to bring to the little round stone huts the message of Christianity. St. Tudno’s Church, on the Great Orme, is an emblem in stone of the witness of men down the ages to the faith first brought to this part by Tudno, Saint and Confessor. St. Tudno is now the patron saint of Llandudno and his feast day is celebrated on 5th June.

 

 

 Killed one month after his wedding day. 

 

Visited - August 2014

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In three cases "Aged" has been engraved as "Aggd".

 St John the Baptist, Wolverley, Worcestershire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

This church was memorable because it was the site of our first "equipment failure" - our camera stopped working half way though our visit and we had to return a few weeks later after it had been repaired.

 

 

 John and Phoebe Woodward lost five of their children at an early age. In three cases "Aged" has been engraved as "Aggd". 

 

Visited - May 2014

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Are these supposed to be angels?

 St James, Kimbolton, Herefordshire

(Click on an image for a larger version)

The church was a prominent part of the landscape from a considerable distance away.

 

 

The top portion of this stone was of a design we had not seen before. Are these supposed to be angels? 

 

Visited - January 2014

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100 people died when the Falaba was torpedoed.

 St Martin and St Meriadoc, Camborne, Cornwall

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There was a massive churchyard behind the, locked, church but as the foliage is only mown twice a year much of the site was unsafe to survey.

 

 

 The Falaba was a 5,000 ton British passenger-cargo ship. It was sunk on 28 March 1915 by the German submarine U-28, which was commanded by Baron Forstner. Falaba was off the southern Irish coast when U-28 surfaced and stopped the British ship. U-28 fired a single torpedo into Falaba, resulting in 100 deaths, including that of one US citizen, Leon Thresher, a mining engineer headed towards the Gold Coast in Africa (now the country of Ghana).  

 

Visited - June 2014

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John and Mary Benny died when "considerably above 80 years of age".

 St Clement, St Clement, Cornwall

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The church is medieval but has lost much of its interest due to later restorations and most of the present fabric is from 1865 .There is also a large cemetery on the opposite side of the lane to the church.

 

 

John and Mary Benny died when "considerably above 80 years of age". 

 

Visited - June 2014

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Yet another disrespectful cemetery - sigh!

 St Mary, Edvin Loach, Herefordshire

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The curious name of this place originates in the late 11th century, when the district of Yedeven was divided between the Loges and Ralph families, hence the present names of the parishes of Edvin Loach and Edvin Ralph. The ruined church, once dedicated to St Giles but later known as St Mary’s, probably dates back to this time. The newer church is also dedicated to St Mary.

 

 

 I have no idea why the church authorities allow gravestones to be treated in such a disrespectful way! 

 

Visited - May 2014

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John and Sarah Broughall lost ten children.

 St Mary, Sutton Maddock, Shropshire

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What should have been a peaceful location was ruined by a

noisy grain-dryer in a nearby farmyard.

 

 

 John and Sarah Broughall had ten children but there was only space on the stone to give details of the first six. 

 

Visited - November 2012

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