A Last Trip to the Graveyard

All through the pandemic, we've kept ourselves sane with a daily ritual of walking to the other side of Potton to the strangely isolated church, and visiting the graveyard. We're doing it one last time before we leave.

It would be a nice walk in itself, but an added bonus is the bizarre collection of gravestones that surround the old church.

Back in the 18th century Potton was a county centre, second only to Bedford and Dunstable in Bedfordshire - but it still must have been a somewhat provincial place. This is borne out in the rather unconventional, and perhaps slightly amateurish, stonework on the graves of the period. In short: they're covered in skulls and crossbones.

The market square, with its eclectic range of architecture. Most of Potton burnt down in a "great fire" of 1783, but some of the buildings on the square are 17th century.

Little passageway. That isn't an illusion - the top of the alley really is narrower than the bottom - the old buildings were not built perependicular.

A macabre collection. "Here lyeth Ye body of Richard Atkinson Gen(t) who died 8th Feb 1703"

"Here lyeth the body of Richard ye son of Richard and Sarah Beade". I don't know if they're the faces on either side.

The one on the right, William Chamber, is older than the rest (1690) and is rather wonky - the text doesn't quite fit. The angels on the left stone are not actually carved in 3D - it's a trompe l'oeil

Caroline in front of our now empty house

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Jacquie GaudetThat cemetery is indeed fascinating! Out here in western Canada, many cemeteries don't permit markers that aren't flush with the turf so the mowers can go right across them.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonGood luck with your move! Looking forward to reporting from your new neighborhood.
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2 years ago

Kathleen JonesGreat little graveyard, nice little village.
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2 years ago