Gravestone Of Elizabeth Church In Churchyard Of St James'S Church

The gravestone of Elizabeth Church is a small, rectangular, upright monument made of moulded limestone ashlar, erected in 1725. It features decorative carving that resembles fabric falling in multiple drapes, with fringed curtain pulls at both corners. At the top, there is an angel's face with a winged collar, flanked by trumpets. The inscription is mostly legible and reads, "HERE Lieth the Body of [...] Elizabeth Church(?) Who Departed this life March the 29th 1725 in the 25th year of her Age." This gravestone is situated approximately 5 metres south of the chancel of St James's Church.

The gravestone is located in the churchyard of the Grade I listed St James's Church, which dates back to the late 12th century. The churchyard is surrounded on all sides by the church and contains various limestone and slate headstones from the 17th to the 20th centuries.

This gravestone is designated at Grade II for several reasons: it is an early Georgian monument from 1725, it retains its essential form and decorative carving, the majority of the inscription is still readable, and its design, which features the imagery of a draped curtain, has a dramatic and artistic quality. Additionally, it has strong group value with the nearby Grade I listed church and two other Grade II listed gravestones from the late 17th and mid-18th centuries, all located in the prime burial area just south of the chancel.