Headstones of Josiah Weld, Mary Weld, Daniel Weld and William Weld

A group of four C18 headstones marking the graves of members of the Weld family.

MATERIALS: Each headstone is carved from a single slab of ragstone.

PLAN: The headstones are situated 8m east of the Church of St Andrew, facing the north east wall of the chapel. The church dates mainly to the C15-C16 and is listed at Grade II*.

EXTERIOR:

The headstones are rectangular upright slabs with ornate carving and scrolls to the shaped upper portions of the face.

The headstone of Josiah Weld depicts a skull, a cherub’s face, and much decorative scrollwork. It is inscribed “Here lies the body of Josiah Weld who departed this life the 27th of March 1758 Aged 43 Years”. There is an inscription in smaller lettering below which is only partly legible as the headstone was much encrusted with lichen at the time of survey (2021).

The headstone of Mary Weld has curvilinear shaping at the top with scrolls, foliate decoration, cherubs’ heads, and two figures who appear to be standing on of bones and skulls. Below is the inscription “MARY the Wife of WILLIAM WELD died the 9th of May 1757 in the 26th year of her Age“.

The headstone of Daniel Weld has curvilinear shaping to the top with foliate decoration surmounted by a cherub’s head. Crossed trumpets and an hourglass rest on a mound of bones and skulls. The inscription beneath reads “DANIEL WELD died the 24th of February 1776 in the 65th Year of his Age”.

The headstone of William Weld has curvilinear shaping to the top but is very worn and most of the inscription is not legible. The word “surgeon” can be made out, however, identifying this as the grave of William Weld who was the husband of Mary Weld, and who is known to have been a surgeon and apothecary, who died on 3 May 1783.

This list entry was subjected to a Minor Amendment on the 5 June 2023 to amend location details and correct typo in source