Group Of 4 Headstones Approximately 5 Metres West Of Church Of St. Mary

This group of four headstones is located approximately 5 metres west of the Church of St. Mary in Staindrop. They date from the early 18th century to the late 18th century, with inscriptions commemorating Ralph Lawson (circa 1702), William Awde (1748), Ralph Sidgwick (1768), and William Wheatley (1778). The headstones are made of sandstone ashlar, with Sidgwick and Wheatley facing east, while Lawson and Awde face west, backing onto them.

The Sidgwick headstone, located at the southeast of the group, is about 0.9 metres high and features a moulded design with a pediment and a deeply-cut inscription. The Wheatley headstone, at the northeast, stands approximately 1 metre high and has a bracketed scrolled top, with scrolls connected by swags on a tooled background, along with a well-cut inscription and verse on the rear.

The Awde headstone, positioned at the southwest, has a shaped top and is around 0.7 metres high, framed by a moulded surround. The headstone for Ralph Lawson is scroll-topped and about 0.5 metres high, featuring ogee-patterned edge moulding and a low-relief face between top spirals, with the years 17 and 02 on either side. Its large-lettered inscription, which is partly obscured by vegetation, continues up the sides and on the rear. All four headstones commemorate other family members as well.