St Edmund's churchyard in Southwold (Suffolk)

[hamishsfriend]

The tower of the parish church of St. Edmund's is one of the town's landmarks. The church dates from 1460, when it was built on the site of an older church after it had been damaged by a fire. The surrounding churchyard is extensive.

It does not contain any truly spectacular monuments but the many carved 18th century and a number of Victorian headstones make it well worth a visit.

There are a number of what appear to be Jewish gravestones - a bit of a mystery that I am currently in the process of researching. Headstones marked with the Star of David are not usually found in parish churchyards.

The most striking monument is situated on the south side of the church. It commemorates the architect William Bardwell who died in 1853, and was possibly designed by him. The grade II listed monument comprises a rectangular sarcophagus that is resting on a square plinth which is inset with headstones of Bardwell family members. Red ceramic tiles arranged in a single band leading around it spell out the names and dates of those commemorated. The sarcophagus is decorated with architectural mouldings. It has square corner columns of marble with capitals that are surmounted by crocketed and cross-gabled finials. Only a few of the glazed tiles that used to adorn its walls remain.

 

[RichardH]

Mmm. Nice pics!

I wondered about the Jewish headstones too, but the more I look at them, the more confused I am. Inside the Star of David is the monogram "IHS", which is definitely Christian. But then again, one of the stones marks the grave of Goldsmith, which is a fairly common Jewish name in the UK. Most odd. Perhaps converts from Judaism?

Can't wait to learn the results of your research.

 

[Snips86x]

Some fantastic shots there mate, I love the variety of designs on the headstones, so Intricate and weathered in a way which is pleasent to view. Would cost a fortune for something like that now.

 

[The Archivist]

The hexagram 'Star of David' was at one time not uncommon in Christian imagery, where it was often referred to as the Star of Creation. As the Church claims descent from the tribes of Israel and Jesus Himself was a Jew it's not really that surprising.

Note the Christogram IHS inside the star which firmly identifies these as Christian graves - Jews would usually have been buried in municipal or dedicated Jewish cemeteries. It's possible that these were converts, but it's equally likely that the stonemason and/or family merely thought it an attractive motif. Might be worth researching to make sure though.

You may also be interested to know that the snake with tail in mouth symbolises eternity, while the crossed pick and spade are the tools of trade of the gravedigger. As an aside, I especially like the skulls, they're wonderfully gruesome!

 

[RichardH]

The hexagram 'Star of David' was at one time not uncommon in Christian imagery, where it was often referred to as the Star of Creation.

Ooh, I didn't know that. Thanks for adding to my store of burial lore.

I am with you on the subject of skulls. I also have an unhealthy fascination with cadaver tombs.

 

[hamishsfriend]

Mmm. Nice pics!

I wondered about the Jewish headstones too, but the more I look at them, the more confused I am. Inside the Star of David is the monogram "IHS", which is definitely Christian. But then again, one of the stones marks the grave of Goldsmith, which is a fairly common Jewish name in the UK. Most odd. Perhaps converts from Judaism?

Can't wait to learn the results of your research.

Very puzzling indeed! The only reference I've found referring to these stones as being of Jewish origins has been published by the International Jewish Cemetery Project > http://www.iajgsjewishcemeteryproject.org/england/southwold-suffolk.html. However, their surveyor cannot have been very observant. They've missed a number of similar headstones and also, the inscription "Charles A Everrett age 50" (this is the headstone right beside the path, by the SE entrance) is said to be too weathered to read but it can, in fact, be read very clearly (as can all the others).

I do occasionally help the Cemetery scribes > http://www.cemeteryscribes.com//index.php < with taking pictures of Jewish gravestones. They are puzzled as well but have started their own investigations, so I've been told.

As to the Goldsmiths, there are a number of others with this name buried in the churchyard but none of their graves is marked with a Mogen David or an IHS monogram.

I have found two Jewish burials in Section D of Southwold municipal cemetery (it adjoins Reydon St Margaret's churchyard, about 1 kilometre to the north-west of Southwold). Section D appears to be a mixed lot of burials of various denominations other than Anglican, resting next to each other as they come, as it were.

 

[hamishsfriend]

You may also be interested to know that the snake with tail in mouth symbolises eternity, while the crossed pick and spade are the tools of trade of the gravedigger. As an aside, I especially like the skulls, they're wonderfully gruesome!

Thanks for this additional info!

 

[Foxylady]

Fascinating gravestones and info. Love the William Barwell tomb with it's tiles. Also the tiles on one of the other stones...most unusual and attractive.
Enjoyed reading all the info everyone. I'm looking forward to seeing the results of your research, H. I've never seen a six-sided star in an anglican churchyard before and it's intriguing.

 

[hamishsfriend]

Fascinating gravestones and info. Love the William Barwell tomb with it's tiles. Also the tiles on one of the other stones...most unusual and attractive.
Enjoyed reading all the info everyone. I'm looking forward to seeing the results of your research, H. I've never seen a six-sided star in an anglican churchyard before and it's intriguing.

Thank you for your nice comment.

I have heard back from the Cemetery Scribes (who transcribe Hebrew inscriptions found on Jewish headstones). They are certain that the headstones in Southwold do not mark Jewish graves. Also, I have since learned that some Roman Catholic and Anglican church paraphernalia such as the church paten > [ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paten[/ame], for instance, are sometimes incised with the same combination of IHS monogram within a six-pointed star. So, definitely Christian, not Jewish and not Masonic.

 

[Mollymule]

Mmm. Nice pics!

I wondered about the Jewish headstones too, but the more I look at them, the more confused I am. Inside the Star of David is the monogram "IHS", which is definitely Christian. But then again, one of the stones marks the grave of Goldsmith, which is a fairly common Jewish name in the UK. Most odd. Perhaps converts from Judaism?

Can't wait to learn the results of your research.

I took a photo of one of the graves with a star on the stone as it puzzled me. After studying it I find that it not a Star of David, but Solomon’s seal. It is similar in that it is a six pointed star but you will see the sides of the two triangles interlink rather than one over the other. The Pope had the seal decorating his mitre. The IHS in the middle of the gravestones Solomon’s seal is a symbol for the name Jesus taken from the Greek.

 

[Foxylady]

After studying it I find that it not a Star of David, but Solomon’s seal.

Ah, thank you, Mollymule. I'd heard of Solomon's Seal but completely forgot about it, so now that answers a question concerning another churchyard I know of. Cheers.

 

[Lolpeacock]

What a shame the photobucket watermark is right across the inscriptions

 

[night crawler]

What a shame the photobucket watermark is right across the inscriptions

Good reason not to use it then

 

[Lolpeacock]

Good reason not to use it then

What is a good reason not to use what?

 

[Sam Haltin]

What is a good reason not to use what?

A good reason not to use Photobucket as a storage for pictures.

 

[night crawler]

What is a good reason not to use what?

 

[Sarah Waldock]

The depiction of a skull on a gravestone indicates that the person commemorated predeceased his or her parents.

 

[Antar]

The depiction of a skull on a gravestone indicates that the person commemorated predeceased his or her parents.

It might do, but generally it's just a stylistic device that was in fashion for headstones during the early Georgian period in England. Usually referred to as memento mori, it's just a bleak reminder of the inevitable. Where I used to live in Hampshire, there was one of these on a gravestone for a chap called John Silver which for obvious reasons used to be very popular until the inscription became illegible. There's an old churchyard near Church Ope cove on the isle of Portland with several stones like this, popularly referred to as the pirates cemetery (not that pirates would ever get headstones!)

 

[Sarah Waldock]

It might do, but generally it's just a stylistic device that was in fashion for headstones during the early Georgian period in England. Usually referred to as memento mori, it's just a bleak reminder of the inevitable. Where I used to live in Hampshire, there was one of these on a gravestone for a chap called John Silver which for obvious reasons used to be very popular until the inscription became illegible. There's an old churchyard near Church Ope cove on the isle of Portland with several stones like this, popularly referred to as the pirates cemetery (not that pirates would ever get headstones!)

eh, so what I was told was wrong? I have to say I have seen them a lot on children's gravestones in Beccles and around, maybe it's a North Suffolk thing.

 

[Hayman]

Re Beccles, I had a friend who died a year or so ago - during Covid, so I did not attend his funeral - who lived near Beccles. He was a retired policeman, and called his house 'Pleshaven' - police haven. A neat twist on 'Dunro(a)min'.