Nunhead Cemetery, London
Visited August 2020
Another visit to my local Victorian cemetery, which I visited more last year than ever before thanks to Covid restricting our movements so much. Is there much more to be said about this place? Perhaps not, although this time I did stray from the paths and find a few slightly overgrown memorials I hadn't seen before, so it's always worth noting that just because somewhere is familiar, doesn't mean there's nothing new to discover.
St Bartholomew's Church, Otford, Kent
Visited October 2020
The church in Otford, in the Derent Valley, dates from around the 11th century although there are some re-used Roman building materials in the walls. As with all churches of this period, there have been many alterations throughout the centuries, not least because of a fire in the 17th century.
The churchyard is well maintained, and much of it is quite modern - you'll struggle to find anything older than Victorian here, although there are one or two gravestones of the 18th/early 19th centuries. If you're in the area, perhaps walking the Derent Valley, then do pass through here while you're in the area.
St Peter & St Paul's church, Shoreham, Kent
Visited October 2020
The Church of St Peter and St Paul has elements dating from the 14th century, but heavy repairs in the 18th and 19th centuries have removed most traces. We were unable to get inside on our visit (thanks Covid!) but the pulpit is one of two which used to be in Westminster Abbey, and the rood screen is worth seeing I'm told (it includes the pomegranate symbol of Katherine of Aragon, perhaps a link to the visit of her and Henry VIII to nearby Otford Palace). The timber porch is late Medieval and worth a look at too.
The churchyard surrounds the building on all sides. Around the edges are areas still in use, whereas nearer to the church, where the avenue of Irish yew trees is, are many older gravestones with some wonderful inscriptions and memento mori. Do look out for one - second image from the bottom here - with the podgiest skull I've ever seen as a memento mori!
Churchyard of St Martin of Tours, Eynsford, Kent
Visited October 2020
The village of Eynsford in the Darent Valley has a lot of history, with a ruined Norman castle, a scenic village centre (still with ford across the river!) and nearby Lullingstone Roman Villa and Lullingstone Castle. In the village centre is the church of St Martin of Tours, which dates back to the Norman period with, of course, many additions and alterations over the centuries, and was likely built at around the same time as the nearby Eynsford Castle.
The historic churchyard is still in use today and contains gravestones from the 18th to the 21st centuries. Some of the early ones still bear well preserved inscriptions and carvings, such as that of Margaret Hayward with its skull, sickle, hourglass, orouboros and much more! Among the recent burials, the one depicted in the first image caught my eye, the deceased was clearly a gardener and this stone captures it so well.
As noted, there is a ton of stuff to do at Eynsford (and there is good walking too) and all less than an hour by train from London so if you are in the area to visit any of the sites or do some walking, do make sure to visit this church and churchyard as part of your trip.
Churchyard of St Mary of Charity, Faversham, Kent
Visited August 2020
The parish church of the market town of Faversham is surrounded by a large churchyard. Parts of it are open to walk through, whereas other parts are fenced off and I've taken photos from the paths that run between these sections. The church is all that remains of the former Faversham Abbey, and was of great importance in the past. As is usual in 2020, the church was closed to visitors so I couldn't see the Medieval painted pillar, the misericords, or the reputed tomb of King Stephen...
However, the churchyard has some brilliant monuments, some of which are accessible and others not so much. Plenty of them date from the 17th and 18th centuries, and there is a wide range of memento mori including skulls, hourglasses and winged souls to spot as well as over 300 years of local history contained in the stones. Well worth a visit if you're in the area, and hopefully the church will be open to visit again soon. And the cake stall in the market - if you're there on the right day - is amazing!
Church of St Peter & St Paul, Ospringe, Kent
Visited August 2020
This church, just on the edge of the village of Ospringe in Kent, near Faversham, is opposite the bier house already mentioned in another post. It stands near where the spring which gives the village its name used to rise (the name of the village means 'spring of the divinity'), and there has been a church here since the 11th century.
The current flint church has parts dating from the 11th and 13th centuries, with substantial alterations in the Victorian period, including the tower which replaced one which collapsed in the late 17th century. It stands in the centre of a substantial churchyard with fields all around - despite being a parish church and near the town, it feels very rural. While many of the gravestones are Victorian in date there are a number of earlier stones, some with memento mori such as skulls and hourglasses. On a hot day there are also some large yew trees to find shade under. Inside the church (shut when I visited, thanks to Covid), are some fine memorials too. Worth a visit if you're in the area, and are popping over to see the bier house too.
