Row Of 5 Diamond Headstones, 6 Footstones And 2 Bodystones About 10 Metres West Of The West Door Of The Church Of All Saints

TQ 67 41 BRENCHLEY HIGH STREET, BRENCHLEY (south side) 15/107 Row of 5 Diamond headstones, 6 footstones and 2 bodystones about 10m west of the west door of the Church of All Saints GV II

5 headstones, 6 footstones and 2 bodystones. Late C18 and early C19. Freestone. A good group of memorials commemorating members of the same family. The headstones are in a row, running south to north. The southernmost commemorates Mary Diamond, died 1787 and other members of the family with 2 footstones at the base. The headstone has an elaborately moulded head carved with a cherub and a resurrected soul represented as a body floating out of a coffin. The next headstone to the north has a scrolled head and commemorates Ann Diamond, died 1828, with 2 footstones. The next headstone to the north has a shaped head and a relief carving of cherubs and a skull and crossbones. It commemorates Joseph Diamond, died 1753. The next headstone to the north commemorates Frances Diamond, died 1791. The scrolled head has a carving in relief showing a woman mourning over a tomb, a book, a serpent eating its tail representing eternity, an inverted torch, a trumpet and the eye of God. The northernmost headstone commemorates Joseph Diamond, died 1804, with 2 bodystones. The head has a central oval panel flanked by scrolls and includes a relief carving of a chalice.

An interesting group illustrating a variety of late C18 emblems of death.

Listing NGR: TQ6794141709