Jane's grave

My back stopped me from going out with the gang this morning. Last week I was hobbling after 6 miles, so I did not want that to happen again.

Instead, I headed back to Hartburn, where we walked last week, and spent some time with my camera in the graveyard and inside the church.

Once section of the graveyard is full of 18th century graves. You can tell that many of the stones were prepared by the same stonemason. Like many graves from this period, there are cherubs, skulls, crossed bones and the sands of time. 

Pevsner says that this is the best collection in the county of well preserved 18th century gravestones.

The stone mason was one Thomas Whittle. His cherubs have various expressions on their faces and he was very good at his job. On the rear of the stones, he carved a skull.

The stone I photographed reads: 
Here lie interr'd Jane
wife of Robert Thornton
who died Jan 1st 1765
aged 59 years


Also his son Luke
who died May 22nd 1765
aged 20 years


It is not possible to see if there is any more lettering below because of the weathered nature of the stone.

Many of those in this place died young and there are a lot of infant deaths, as you might expect.

I drove to Hexham to do a bit of shopping but it was not a good idea. The traffic is still very heavy and it takes ages to access the town centre.

I did not watch the football, but I may want to see some of the match on Sunday. Very exciting.