Gravestones, Tombs & Memorials (5 page)

FIG 2.5:
Seventeenth-century gravestones were often poorly laid out with words spread over two lines (as above, with the name Elizabeth) or have the final letters squeezed in.

FIG 2.6:
The seemingly sudden appearance of stone memorials outside was in part due to the mason becoming established more widely in towns and villages. His work was aided by more permanent local quarries and a client base who could afford his work. These long-forgotten artists developed their skills combining vernacular styles with those found in architectural, furniture and specialist memorial pattern books. The top example (Hereford and Worcs) has small scrolls either side of an angel's head and curtains held open, common details on late 17th- and early 18th-century gravestones. The bottom example shows the great regional variety which can be found, with local folk art decorating the borders (Glos).

FIG 2.7:
Many early gravestones would have been no more than simple markers with the initials of the deceased. Some, like the above example, are still disc-shaped like the medieval types (
Fig 2.4
).

Eighteenth-century Gravestones

Gravestones from the 18th century are rich and varied: some in the hands of skilled masons (their names often carved on the lowest part of the stone) are works of art, others still retain the crude and rustic charm of the previous century. One village with suitable local stone for carving, a skilled mason and clients with sufficient funds to pay for their work could have beautifully decorated gravestones, whereas only a few miles away a parish without one or all these assets could be limited to basic forms of memorial. With transport of heavy items still expensive, only a fortunate few could afford to bring in a slab from a distant county so a memorial from this period which is not in a local stone may indicate a wealthy family.

In general, gravestones grew in size through the century from around 3 ft at the beginning to up to 4 or 5 ft at the end. They also became thinner and the quality of the work generally more refined. There was a wide selection of shapes, inspired by the Classical form of contemporary architecture and furniture design. Some had a pediment (a flat triangular feature) across the top supported on pilasters (flat columns) either side, very much like the door-cases at the time, while others had an oval or shield surrounded by deeply-carved foliage which mirrored the Rococo style popular in the mid century. Although masons incorporated these contemporary forms into their designs, they were often mixed with local or traditional features and generally appear a decade or two after being fashionable elsewhere. Likewise, they continued long after they had fallen from favour in other forms of art, a generalisation which was still applicable into the modern age.

FIG 2.8:
A distinctive type of gravestone from the late 17th and early 18th centuries in Kent and Sussex had a head with a series of concave, convex and ‘S'-shape pieces down each side and a semi-circular cap at the top. Some also had consoles on the sides, which look like a pair of ears.

FIG 2.9:
A Rococo-style gravestone with labels of period features.

Gravestones in this period were still for the more affluent members of the community; mainly farmers, vicars, merchants, and professionals. Some chose plain slabs with a simple list of names and dates of the deceased for family graves with later burials added to the list. More expensive types had symbols carved around the head, many taking up the whole top third of the stone. Those from the late 17th and through to the second half of the 18th century reflect the morbid fascination with time and death, with skulls and crossbones, hourglasses and winged cherubs' heads deeply carved in relief (the area around cut away so the pattern stands proud) or incised (the design directly cut into the stone). During the 18th and early 19th century wide slabs with two panels carved side by side (and occasionally four) intended for husbands and wives or close family members were very popular. Short footstones marking the other end of the grave were frequently used although they rarely survive today and, where they do, have often been resited up against the headstone. Body or coffin stones (see
Fig 1.11
) which covered the grave between these stones were also used in some parts of the country.

FIG 2.10:
Many 18th-century gravestones would have been a plain slab with a square, shallow arch or profiled top and a list of family members below. For those with a little more to spend a carved upper section could be added. A short footstone repeating the initials and date of passing was also common although most have been removed or resited. (Originally it would have been on the other side of the headstone at the foot of the grave).

FIG 2.11:
In most areas there were gravestones of unique or local style as in this example from Derbyshire!

FIG 2.12:
It was common for gravestones to be divided into three sections with a decorative feature in the upper third, the facts of the deceased below and an epitaph at the bottom.