There
is an old, disused graveyard near my house.
Bruce the Wonder Dog and I often pass it on our evening walks. It's a little on the neglected side but that just adds to its charm. Yesterday evening it looked particularly
attractive with the sun shining through the foliage of the old cedar tree and
lighting up the windows in the little derelict chapel.
I
have to admit I find it fascinating.
Unfortunately it isn’t open to the public, but I love to peer through
the railings and see what I can spot; angels and scrolls, crosses and ornate
headstones, cherubs and garlands. There
even appears to be quite a large chest tomb there. I would love to be able to walk around and
take a closer look at the inscriptions.
If
they have an open day (which they occasionally do, I’m told) then I shall
definitely pay a visit and, when I do, I shall go armed with a copy of
GRAVESTONES, TOMBS & MEMORIALS (£5.99) by Trevor Yorke.
I’ve
already read through it and have discovered an amazing number of things about
the significance and symbolism of decoration and ornamentation that I never
realised. The inscriptions on
gravestones can tell us the facts about the person buried beneath but the
imagery used to decorate the grave gives everything a whole new dimension – how
the family felt about the death; what it meant to them; even what profession or
interest they held while alive.
I
can’t see it from the roadside but I know that my little local cemetery has a
gravestone in the shape of a car wheel.
It commemorates James George Mann, who died in November 1922 aged
19. It is believed that he may have been
an early racing car driver.
So,
if you too like to explore churchyards then I highly recommend taking a copy of
Trevor Yorke’s book along with you. I think you’ll be surprised at how much you
can discover, not only about the people who are buried there and their standing
in the local community but also about the history of your area.
Trevor
explains burial practices down the ages and details the development of the
churchyard and the cemetery. He looks at
the period styles of gravestones and tombs, and the shapes and features that
help to date them. Using a wide range of
photographs and his own illustrations, he examines the carvings and symbols
that can be found and offers clues to their possible meanings.
For a full list of our titles, please visit our website at www.countrysidebooks.co.uk. If you order from our website there is a 20% discount.
Happy walking.
Deb
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