Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Tree Shaped Tomb Stones - UK examples

Obviously the UK has a lot of church yards.  In many cases the congregations are small and the upkeep costs enormous.  So some churches and their associated cemeteries are always falling into ruin, but most are being kept up from a combined appreciation of history and faith.

Until a recent jaunt off into the "Lake District" I had never encountered anything that resembled the "Tree Shaped Tomb Stones" I hunt for in the States.  And in one day I find three of them.



A lovely specimen even if it was hard to line it up for a good photo.  There is just too much verdant greenery and weathered stone on all sides!  This is at a posh little town called Grassmere. The cemetery is mostly noted for the grave of the poet Wordsworth but this of course is not it.  I got down and peered at the weathered inscription, it dates from 1899. Interesting that this is exactly the age of similar US specimens.  



Next up is a monument I ran across in a little place called Gosforth.  Its inscription is pretty far gone, but I was able to make out 1916.  Again, very similar to the time period in which you would find this style in the US.  The church yard held a second example that was identical but even more weathered.

2 comments:

Jeffrey Smith said...

Ha! Been to Grasmere, have picture of Wordsworth's grave to prove it. Don't remember any other graves, but I do remember the interior of the (rather small) church.

Tacitus said...

Jeff

Take a deep whiff. Smell the gingerbread from the little shop next to the grave yard?
Mmmmmm.

T