This wonderful old stone is a grave marker from the churchyard of Holy Trinity in Goodramgate. Nowadays it is usually the relatives of the deceased who choose the wording on the gravestone. This appears to have been chosen by the deceased himself with the intention of leaving a comforting and hopeful message to his wife.
Go Home Dear Wife, and shed no Tears,
I must lie here til Christ appears;
And, at his Coming, hope to have
A Joyful Rising from the Grave.
Taking part in Tapophile tragics
What an interesting stone and poem. They don't 'make' them like they used to.
ReplyDeleteHerding Cats
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At such a young age, to be in possession of both poetry AND a wife.
ReplyDeleteI like that expression 'beneath is deposited all that was mortal of'. Last week I stumbed upon a website that was collecting 101 ways of saying died. I wonder if she had this one?
I wonder what sort of flower that is engraved up the top of the marker. Can't find it on my usual list ...
Yes I liked that way of expressing the fact that he had died and was buried here.
DeleteWondering about the floral motief too, suggestions welcome.
hahaha, yes, i also liked that expression! so weird and serious at the same time.. :)
DeleteI noticed the same phrase... and thought, how hopeful!
Delete101 ways to say "to die"? What that does say about our relationship to death?
I also really like the poetry of the 'beneath is deposited...'
ReplyDeleteI bet 47 was fairly old in those days!
ReplyDeleteHah! I bet Julie saw 17... I did. But you my be right, Pat. Hard to see on my laptop.
DeleteThe symbol on the headstone intrigues me! It looks a little like wheat crossed with palm - divine harvest. The words seem to emphasise that this is only the mortal resting place, not the spiritual one.
ReplyDeleteAh yes one does look like a palm leaf, thank you Gemma. I think the flower on the right possibly has berries of some sort so still wondering about that one.
DeleteI like the way he mentioned the remains of his Mortal life...thats cool.
ReplyDeleteSadly, the poem does not rhyme very well...
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful old stone.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting inscription and fairly well preserved for its age. I suppose the poor chap knew he was dying
ReplyDelete