Gravestones, Tombs & Memorials (13 page)

FIG 5.2:
Most gravestones are laid out as above with the introductory words at the top (the ‘In' is often highlighted as with this example) and the name and details of the deceased in the middle. If you could afford the extra, an epitaph was inserted below this and in the bottom right corner (occasionally elsewhere) of some is the name of the mason or company who carved the stone.

Styles of Text

The style of text which was inscribed or occasionally carved in relief changed over the centuries. In the 17th century the type widely used was the Roman, crudely and deeply cut. Lettering was often poorly laid out with words split over two lines, squashed up with vertical parts combined, the occasional ‘ye' added above like an after-thought and horizontal guidelines left visible. This probably reflects the fact that much of this early carving was done by people new to the trade or as a part-time job, perhaps by a schoolmaster or vicar (often the only literate person in a village).

FIG 5.3:
Examples of text from 17th-century gravestones. ‘Here lyeth the body' in the top example was a common opening phrase popular in this period.

Standards quickly improved, however, and by the early 18th century not only was fine-quality carving to be found but also a wider range of styles. This came about due to generally increased trade and rapidly growing businesses which demanded more individual fonts for their trade cards, styles which inspired masons to imitate sometimes elaborate and flowing displays of text. These calligraphic forms were, like the decoration below, often shallow cut.

By the early 19th century the range of styles increased further with different ones often mixed on the same stone. The text was less flamboyant and calligraphic and became more formal, square and deeply cut and hence is today more legible. Fonts like San Serif, Egyptian, Grotesque and Fat Face were some of those introduced at this time while shadowing of letters was a distinctive addition popular in the first half of the century.

FIG 5.4:
Eighteenth-century stones sometimes had fantastic displays of spiralling swirls and delicate calligraphy usually highlighting ‘Here' or ‘In' at the top.

FIG 5.5:
A wide range of styles of text were available to the 18th-century mason, usually finer, shallower and more refined than those from before.

FIG 5.6:
Gravestones from the first half of the 19th century often have an eclectic mix of styles of text appearing like an advert for the ranges available!

FIG 5.7:
Shadowing of text (making it appear three-dimensional) was popular in the early 19th century.

FIG 5.8:
Gothic-style text was popular on Victorian gravestones as in the larger lettering above (the top example using lead inserts). ‘In sacred memory' or ‘In loving memory' were popular opening lines.

FIG 5.9:
The Arts and Crafts movement in the late 19th and early 20th century inspired new hand-carved styles as in this example.

In the Victorian period machine-cut lettering predominates and from the 1850s this was often filled with lead inserts. Gothic styles were added to those more formal types but although text is more legible it can also be uninspired and repetitive. It was only from the end of the 19th century under the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement that examples of hand-carved and more individual styles can once again be found. In the last century, despite attempts from church authorities to control the standards and materials used for gravestones, polished marble with gilt or black lettering is widespread. Yet between these the occasional individual stone can be found with hand-carved lettering inspired by calligraphy rather than the limitations of machine cutting.

FIG 5.10:
Although most gravestones in the past 100 years tend to use plain machine-cut text there are occasional memorials where a mason has hand-carved something more inventive, as in John Betjeman's gravestone shown above.

Inscriptions and Epitaphs

The earliest gravestones and tombs from the 17th century tend to have little in the way of carved inscriptions, reflecting the limited skills of those who probably did the work in their spare time. Some are simply initials and a date, others more involved but usually containing little more than names, places and dates. In the second half of the century as the trade became more professional so stones can be found with full inscriptions and a short epitaph below this. Many of these were composed by the local priest and have a distinct moral tone, yet surprisingly it is rare to find any quotes from the Bible at this date.