c17 churchyard memorials

Chest ornately carved with an angel and swag of fruits between pilasters carved with a design common in Elizabethan times, with wreaths on the ends and a spiral bale on top. These bales have been taken to be indicative of cloth or wool merchants, but with no proof, and it seems more likely that they are a stone version of the shape of the mediaeval hearse cloth. I know of no paper written that has tested either theory by looking at the families involved. Note the early norman herringbone walling behind the tomb

mid c17? almshouses to west of churchyard full of c18 and c19 gravestones

the pretty graveyard, a relief after the terrible cleansing that has taken place inside this church, turning it from the sort of palimpsest that one looks forward to upon opening an english parish church door, to a sterile modern space with orange carpets and slick floor tile replacing the uneven muddle of centuries, blue job centre chairs instead of pews, and just the odd tomb behind protective chrome rails and glass to remind us of where we are, and what these vandals have done. they have yet to fully clear the graveyard of tombs , which look so untidy and probably break all sorts of health and safety guidelines; the chest tomb here dates from 1615 and should surely be replaced by a child friendly plastic washable copy , if not cleared away entirely and the graveyard replaced with a nice flat economic lawn, with plastic grass, that would go better with the brave new world of the church interior.

rustic chest tomb to thomas norud, "desesed" 1615

an erratic used as a gravestone, marked 'n.g.1691', to the n.e. of the chancel

gravestone of captain derrick tyson, 1675, who seems to have served the king of sweeden

the 1829 greet tomb dominates those of c17 captains and c18 sailors, with the church of 1366 behind

late c17 gravestone outside the c13 west doorway

gravestone of john marchant, 1690

mary wynn's 1639 gravestone

early tombstone of joseph bryan, 1695

a good collection of carved ironstone gravestones and chest tombs of the c17 and c18 stands to the west of the church

memento mori gravestone of sarah worton, 1698

late c17 tombstone to west of church, with two angels in swags

late c17 tombstone to west of church, with swag of fruit and angels etc.

late c17 tombstone to west of church, with time and death

late c17 tombstone to west of church, with time and death