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Oldest Grave / Headstone


sheffmark

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Hi all!

I'm very interested in reading head stones in the cemeteries around Sheffield, and was just wondering if anyone knows of any headstone / grave in Sheffield that is dated from the 1700s or earlier.

The ones in the general cemetery at Sharrow are old, but not that old.

Does anybody know of any, or which is the oldest one you've seen in Sheffield.

Thanks all.

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Hi,

Think that cemeteries as we know them, such as City Rd, and General Cemetery, are from mid1800. For earlier dated stones you would have to visit a church graveyard, such as St James' Ch at Norton but that would be for local Derbyshire people. 

I have been to other graveyards but can't remember any early dates.

A lot of early stones have been removed or just moved for safety or the graves reused.

Sometimes it is best to look around the walls of the graveyard at the ones that have been put there

Meersbrook

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A look round St Mary's at Ecclesfield would be rewarding.  Apart from anything else it's well kept and all gravestones are easily accessible.  The earliest gravestone is that of the vicar Richard Lord dated 1600, but there are plenty of eighteenth century stones.

Unfortunately some stones have been laid down to form pavements, and the inscriptions now worn to the point of being unreadable.  One of them, in the main approach to the church is the stone dedicated to my GGGGGG uncle George Wilkinson who was the town crier and died in 1797.  The inscription, now illegible, read:

Here lies George Wilkinson , Born and cri'd, Liv'd ninety-four years, And then he di'd

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St. Mary's at Ecclesfield has old gravestones, have a look round the outside at the Cathedral, the graveyard at High Bradfield and the little one at Attercliffe (opposite side to the police station) have some really interesting stones.

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Thanks for the replies everyone and the suggestions.

I'll certainly look at St Mary's Church. Richard Lord's headstone will be awesome to see, 1600, wow!!

I'll take a look at Norton too, that sounds like a winner!

Many thanks everyone, you've been a MASSIVE help!;-)

Mark

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Cemeteries didn't come in till much later. The result of overcrowded church yards. The rule of thumb for looking for really old gravestones is to go on the age of the church. The older it is the more chances of older stones!

Don't forget the Cathedral! Some internal and external ones left.   

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20 hours ago, History dude said:

Cemeteries didn't come in till much later. The result of overcrowded church yards. The rule of thumb for looking for really old gravestones is to go on the age of the church. The older it is the more chances of older stones!

Don't forget the Cathedral! Some internal and external ones left.   

Thanks History dude, i'll bear that in mind.

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16 hours ago, Edmund said:

Here's a rough plan of St Marys graveyard.  Rev.Lord's grave is at reference O9.  Hope it's worth the journey!

56a1ccd20d095_StMarysEcclesfieldChurchya

Thanks Edmund.

I can't wait to go take a look.

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Can you keep a look out for any Appleyard graves while you are touring the place. Let me know here if you see any.

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On ‎22‎/‎01‎/‎2016 at 6:34 AM, Edmund said:

Here's a rough plan of St Marys graveyard.  Rev.Lord's grave is at reference O9.  Hope it's worth the journey!

56a1ccd20d095_StMarysEcclesfieldChurchya

Some of St Mary's churchyard was cleared when the traffic island at the end of Bramhall lane was made. The remains found (bones) were taken to the Charnel House at the General Cemetery. Sheffield Records Office have a CD you can read there of burials at St Mary's. I found my Great Great Grandfather and his wife was buried at St Mary's and went for a look but found that the many gravestones had been used as paving in the churchyard. Many were illegible due to the passage of feet.

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1 hour ago, History dude said:

Can you keep a look out for any Appleyard graves while you are touring the place. Let me know here if you see any.

Ann Appleyard - Died / or buried 4-10-1846 aged 22.

You can find her here. Scroll down after you open this link. http://www.stmarysecclesfield.com/files/Churchyard_Burials/Index_ABD_to_CHA.pdf

Here is the link to the grave site - http://www.stmarysecclesfield.com/files/Churchyard_Burials/Churchyard_Plans.pdf

The plot number is 725 and this is to be found on plot 7 and the grid reference number L15.

This is right in the bottom left of the church yard.

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I took a look around St Mary's at Ecclesfield this morning.

It was certainly very interesting, with plenty of headstones / graves from the 1700s.

I did track down Richard Lord's gravestone. It was laid down and quite weathered as you would expect.The stone was in two halves too, so it was a bit difficult to photograph.

Here are the best ones i took:

100_0615.thumb.JPG.31be48237af5153db4134100_0616.thumb.JPG.64722d82deafc0f454d33

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Called in to Norton Cemetery today in my dinner break, and although i was looking for 1700s gravestones, i did photograph these two interesting ones.

Each tell a story.

100_0618.thumb.JPG.00b19e1ab3b6d8ffec392

100_0619.thumb.JPG.eb0f1b4acf9edbc997ca0

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Sheffmark

There is a thread somewhere on Sheffield History of a explanation of why Frederick Hawksworth (second picture) died. It's one of the photo's I took of the cemetery on a trip there a few summers ago now.  

Visit to Norton Cemetery

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20 hours ago, Meersbrook said:

Hi Sheffmark,

Norton Cemetery didn't open till 1869, so no pre 1800 headstones

Thanks Meersbrook.

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19 hours ago, History dude said:

Sheffmark

There is a thread somewhere on Sheffield History of a explanation of why Frederick Hawksworth (second picture) died. It's one of the photo's I took of the cemetery on a trip there a few summers ago now.  

Visit to Norton Cemetery

Thanks for the link History dude. It was a very interesting read

I try to read all the headstones whenever i look around churchyards / cemeteries  but the  Frederick Hawksworth headstone caught my eye because of the obvious tragedy involved in the death.

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I'm the same Sheffmark when I see gravestones with interesting inscriptions on them. I photograph them even though they have no connection with anyone or any research that I am doing.

If you search Sheffield History with just the keyword "gravestone" you will come across some of the others that I have posted on here.

I don't know if you know this, but I did photograph the entire Gleadless Christ Church stones. If you or anyone is looking for a name just post it on here or PM me. I will send or post the gravestone on here.  

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On ‎23‎/‎01‎/‎2016 at 4:50 PM, History dude said:

Can you keep a look out for any Appleyard graves while you are touring the place. Let me know here if you see any.

I have found and Photographed the Grave you asked about I hope they are ok for you. 

56a9026f541ed_Appleyard2.thumb.JPG.8abd456a902695d250_Appleyard1.thumb.JPG.94f1c

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On ‎23‎/‎01‎/‎2016 at 4:50 PM, History dude said:

Can you keep a look out for any Appleyard graves while you are touring the place. Let me know here if you see any.

I have found and Photographed the Grave you asked about I hope they are ok for you. 

56ae6ddd58953_Appleyard1.thumb.JPG.e7a1956ae6dd8c99af_Appleyard2.thumb.JPG.d9014

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