The Churchyard & Memorials

Around the church are many memorials to deceased villagers, going back to the 18th century. Many of the names are familiar and equally many are names that have disappeared from the community. The memorials are a unique record of the history of the village and tell some poignant tales. Some memorials are very old and show the effects of time: the script carved on soft sandstone gravestones has been lost in some cases; other gravestones have fallen or been laid on their back to protect the public from danger.

The churchyard is divided into two parts. One is the older part surrounding the church, which is maintained by the Parish Council and is no longer used for burials. The other is the part which is currently in use. The grass is kept tidy by the effort of villagers: new mowers are always appreciated. If you you would be willing to help by mowing once or twice a year, please contact the PCC.

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Plan of the Churchyard

which is based on an image of a plan held in the Church, hand-drawn in 1973. This copy was up-to-date in 2011. It allows a virtual tour of the graveyard, with photographs and transcriptions of the text on the memorials. However, it is a much deeper and satisfying experience to walk around the memorials. Look for the carvings of the unique Belvoir Angel. Look at the tales of loss of many young children. Distinguish the memorials to the affluent, from those to the poorer families. Some of these are very worn and difficult to read.

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List of the Burials.

These names have been taken from the plan and Grave Memorial Recording Forms. The surnames arranged in alphabetic order. The year of death and the age of the person is also given, as are the memorial numbers referred to on the plan and the Grave Memorial Record Form numbers.

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