Thomas Page - Scraptoft

Here Lyeth the body of

Thomas Page who depart

ed this life January the 25th

Anno Dom.1714

Aged 47 years.

Here I lye sleeping in the dust

until the rising of the just

Till ye time that Christ shall say

arise my saints & come away

The sun was hiding around the side of the church when I visited Scraptoft, leaving this beautiful headstone in shadow. Not ideal lighting for photography. I've done my best to increase the contrast, but the image is still rather flat. Click on the picture for a larger view to see the detail of the squeezed-in lettering.

Ann Webster - Scraptoft

Ann the

Daughter of Tho

Webster she departed

this life the 15th of

May in ye 22 Year of

her age 1699

Though this stone dates from the 17th Century, the angel design appealed to me, so I have included it here. I also like the way the letters have been squeezed in. I'm assuming that Tho is short for Thomas.

This is one of the stones tucked away on the edge of Scraptoft Churchyard. You may need to clear away vegetation to find it. Watch out for the stinging nettles.

Elizabeth Windsor - Scraptoft

Here Lyeth

the Body of

Elizabeth the wife of

Robert Windsor

She died Dec:r 8th 1727

Aged 51.

 

Another simple 18th Century headstone in Scraptoft churchyard. Curiously, every letter 's' on the stone is in the modern form despite the early date. Once again, the woman's name is given only in relation to her husband's.

Alice and James Frostnill / Frostnil - Scraptoft

Scraptoft Church has several 18th Century headstones, the most impressive of which occupy prominent positions near the path. A few smaller, less perfectly engraved stones are crowded together along the edge of the churchyard, somewhat overgrown with nettles and ivy. 

 

Among these are the headstones presumably belonging to husband and wife James and Alice. The surname is spelt Frostnill on James's stone and Frostnil on Alice's. 

 



Here lyeth the body

of James Frostnill who

departed this life February

the 6th Anno Dond. 1716

in the 68 yeare of his age

Alice the wife of James

Frostnil departed this life

the 28 of sep 1721 aged 77

The husband's memorial names him without reference to any other. But the wife's memorial only gives her name in relation to her husband, already more than five years dead.

Moses Miler - Scraptoft

Here Lies

the body of

Moses Miler

Who died Oct 26 1735

Aged 41 Years

All you that come my grave to see

As I am now so must you be

 

The skull and crossbones design seems to be a reference to the belief of the Knights Templar that if the skull and at least two large bones remained then the body would be resurrected at the Day of Judgement. The winged hourglass is presumably a reminder of mortality.

Underneath the crossed long bones and ribs are a crossed scythe and arrow, symbolically bringers of death. And to either side are a spade and pick, symbolic of grave digging.

This stone is easy to find in the pleasant churchyard at Scraptoft, just outside Leicester. It stands alongside a line of other 18th Century stones next to the path that runs between the road and the church itself.