GRAVE POETRY: All Saints’ Church, Madeley, North Staffordshire
by
Charles E S Fairey
October 2022
Grave Poetry
Grave Poetry is a timeless tradition, with many examples up and down the
country, but it became especially fashionable during the Victorian Era, when
there was much emphasis on death and mourning, especially because Queen
Victoria lost her young husband, Prince Albert, and was in a perpetual state of
mourning for the rest of her life. The whole country seemed to be in mourning,
and much was written about the rules and modes of such.
The words we find in poems upon Victorian grave stones, ask the viewer
to contemplate their own mortality, and are especially religious, pleading with
the reader to take notice of God, and to make peace with Him.
Some might say that the dead are talking to us from beyond the grave,
wishing us to take heed of their immortal monumental words, for our time shall
come, and we have no option but to abide.
Grave stones are meant to be immortal markers of the resting dead, to
last forever, as a shrine for those who cared for the occupant(s), to mourn
their loved ones, and place tokens of their love and affection at the immortal
stone altar, and to contemplate their own death for as long as they live, and
their descendants to do likewise, as their loved ones, one day they hope, will
do the same for them.
In this way the inscriptions are really immortal words, and if they
include a message, a teaching, for those yet to meet their Creator, then that
message should be heeded, and regarded as a guide to the living, of the journey
to their deathly abode, for them to better their form of spiritual transition,
from life to the doorway of death.
It does not especially matter for the viewer of such, if not a relative,
to care for the life of the grave’s occupant(s), or those they have left
behind, but that or those occupant(s), care or cares that you heed their words,
from beyond the veil of death.
“Even in Death
The Dead Show Their Care
For The Living”
These grave poems can be classed under the term ‘Memento Mori’.
Since the Medieval period, there has been a tradition of ‘Memento Mori’, which is a phrase which means ‘remember death’, and was a medieval
theory to teach the living that they should reflect upon mortality, and
consider the vanity of the earthly abode, and the transient nature of all
earthly goods and pursuits. There are many phrases, images and symbols related
to death, which we now include under the ‘Memento
Mori’ banner.
People who come to realise the importance of this act of dying through perfecting their character, and ultimately knowing themselves, and understanding the detachment from this life, and understanding the virtue of preparing themselves for the afterlife. As well as grasping the immortality of their own soul, and its salvation and thus its place within the spiritual landscape. Such as the three realms, which exist in many religions, both monotheistic and polytheistic, and other world belief systems, as the Earth, Heaven and Hell; view death more as a friend than a foe.
Such phrases as “Remember Man that you are dust and unto the dust you shall return”, “Remember that thou shalt die”, and “Prepare to meet thy God”, remind us of the fragility of life, and that we must try and learn how we should prepare ourselves for the hereafter, and the transition from a physical realm to a spiritual realm, before it is too late.
The most famous Memento Mori phrase or be it a rhyme is:-
“Ring a ring a roses,
A pocket full of posies
A-tish-oo, a-tish-oo
We all fall down”
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The Grave Poetry at All Saints’ Church, Madeley
Usually in churchyards up and down the country, a number of gravestones
include an inscription with a ‘Memento Mori’ Poem. However, it is quite rare to
have as many as those found at All Saints’ Church, at Madeley, North
Staffordshire, other than the large Victorian cemeteries in British cities.
Here we find multiple Victorian graves with a message from beyond the grave, to
remind the viewer, to contemplate death.
In Cheshire, some churchyards have a few grave poems, but here at All
Saints’ in North Staffordshire we find around 35 plus examples visible today;
although some are either obscured, or too worn to read, but many which have
stood the test of time, to remind us that we will die.
I have selected 25 examples on graves from around the perimeter of the
Church, there are quite a few more, further away, and like I said above,
obscured where vegetation grows over them, or they are too worn to be read.
If all the graves were uncovered in the churchyard, and were to be
recorded, it is very likely there will be more examples of such poetical
‘Memento Mori’.
I recorded this selection of All Saints’ Grave Poems, you will find
below, to interest the reader, who may not be able to visit Madeley, or who may
not have time to search them out, for your interest, but also to remind us that
death is something not to fear, and something which is paramount to prepare for
in life.
Far too many folk fear death, and tend to shy away from it, although it
is an inevitable part of life, so in that way, these poems may help those who
are interested, either from a spiritual, poetical or even historical sense, to
contemplate death, and prepare. That reason is why these examples existed in
the first place.
It may also make a nice project for parishioners of All Saints’, or a
local history group, or a local poetry group, or even a local children’s group,
to record all the examples of Grave Poetry here, so that just like the stone
grave markers were meant to be immortal shrines, their poetry will act as an
immortal reminder to reflect upon and contemplate death. It may also make a
great book for those not too shy, to read, what was left by those now beyond
the grave.
Another project which could be considered is the recording of all the
monumental inscriptions in All Saints’ graveyard, not just for the poetry, but
to help people research their family histories. Many churches in Staffordshire,
and in the whole of the UK, have dedicated people who record every grave, its
inscription, and its exact location, and produce Monumental Inscription books,
for the use of those tracing their family history. Sadly this hasn’t been done
for All Saints’ yet, but it would be a time consuming and difficult task, but a
very rewarding project for those who wish to trace their ancestors.
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At All Saints’ I recorded 25 Grave Poems on Gravestones, and have
numbered them and placed their locations upon a Google Satellite Image of the
Churchyard, see below, so that anybody who reads this article, if they so wish
to, are able to follow in my footsteps, and find each poetical inscription for
themselves.
I have kept the monumental inscriptions of the graves, to just the
transcription of the poems, and the name and date of the first buried, I have
not transcribed the rest of the inscriptions, which record all the occupants of
the graves, and their date of death, and/or burial, etc, because this article
deals with the poetical message, and to include the rest of the information, would
probably bore the reader. And essentially, the poems are the important message
to those, who are not descendants of those in the graves.
It also takes some of the personal emphasis away from the emotions of
the reader, and thereby keeps the heart concentrating upon their messages, and
not the person at rest, so is much more personal to the reader’s heart
generally, as well as acting as an individual teaching, so that each person who
reads the verses, may reflect upon their meaning and message.
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“The
Dead Really Do Speak
And They
Are Not Asleep”
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Grave No. 1
William Hope 1903:
“A VOICE FROM
OUR HOUSEHOLD GONE,
A VOICE WE
LOVED IS STILL,
A PLACE IF
VACANT AT OUR HEARTH,
WHICH NONE
CAN EVER FILL.”
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Grave No. 2
John Whalley 1911:
“OH! NOT LOST
BUT GONE BEFORE US,
LET THEM
NEVER BE FORGOT,
SWEET THEIR
MEMORY TO THE LONELY,
IN OUR HEARTS
THEY PERISH NOT.”
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Grave No. 3
Joseph Goodall 1823:
“NOTHING IN
MY HAND I BRING,
SIMPLY TO THY
CROSS I CLING,
ROCK OF AGES
CLEFT FOR ME;
LET ME HIDE
MYSELF IN THEE.”
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Grave No. 4
Charles Simester 1874:
“YE WHO ARE
YOUNG, PREPARE TO DIE
FOR I WAS
YOUNG WHEN CALL’D AWAY
MY MARRIAGE
BED LIES IN THE DUST
CHRIST IS MY
ROCK AND IN HIM I TRUST.”
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Grave No. 5
Edward Boulton 1857:
“LORD WHAT IS
LIFE, TIS BUT A FLOWER,
WHICH
WITHERED AND IS GONE;
WE SEE IT
FLOURISH FOR AN HOUR,
WITH ALL ITS
BEAUTY ON
BUT DEATH
COMES LIKE A WINTERS DAY
AND TAKES THE
PRETTY FLOWERS AWAY.”
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Grave No. 6
Ann Bradbury 1853:
“How great
thy goodness gracious Lord,
What love
doth dwell in thee,,
Through every
season of my Life
Thou hast
remembered me.”
“Precious is
our term of life below,
When it shall
cease not one of us can know,
Behold an awful
proof before your view,,
At morn he
rose in health as strong as you
At noon when
shone the sun’s meridian light,
Death closed
his being in mysterious night.”
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Grave No. 7
William Peake 1824:
“Refrain your
tears and weap no more,
Although your
husband’s gone before,
They liv’d in
Love in peace he died;
His life was
ask’d but God denied.”
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Grave No. 8
Sarah Ann Watson 1884:
“YOUTH THAT
IS CUT DOWN IN ITS LOVELINESS LIKE
A MORNING
FLOWER, SHALL BLOOM AFRESH IN THE
GARDEN OF
GOD.”
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Grave No. 9
Catherine Williams 1848:
“Husband
Farewell my life is past,
I ever lov’d
while it did last;
Think on my
Children for my sake,
And ever on
them pity take.”
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Grave No. 10
James Malpass 1892:
“WE CANNOT
LORD THY PURPOSE SEE,
BUT ALL IS
WELL, THAT’S DONE BY THEE.”
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Grave No. 11
George Whalley 1878:
“WATCH:
THEREFORE FOR YE KNOW
NOT WHAT HOUR
YOUR LORD DOTH COME”
“WE LAID THEM
HERE TO REST
AWHILE TILL
THE LAST GLORIOUS MORN.”
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Grave No. 12
John Jones Wilson 1875:
“LORD, I
COMMIT MY SOUL TO THEE,
ACCEPT THE
SACRED TRUST,
RECEIVE THIS
NOBLER PART OF ME,
AND WATCH MY
SLEEPING DUST."
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Grave No. 13
Francis Matilda Williams 1874:
“FAREWELL
DEAR PARENTS A LONG FAREWELL
I NEVER SHALL
SEE YOU MORE
UNTIL WE MEET
IN HEAVEN TO DWELL
ON CANAAN’S
HAPPY SHORE.”
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Grave No. 14
Ann Colley 1837:
“Blooming
fair one view thy lot,
Beauty here
is soon forgot;
To thy
Saviours bosom fly,
Seek these
Charmes that never die.”
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Grave No. 15
Mary Colley 1807:
“Husband do
pray be content,
My Children
for me do not lament;
For Death
must part us lovers kind,
And leave the
dearest Friend behind.”
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Grave No. 16
Hannah Read 1822:
“Farewell
vain world
I’ve had
enough of the
Now I hope my
Saviour
for to see,
My days
.......”
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Grave No. 17
Harriet Rhead 1878:
“Our time is
come next may be thine;
Prepare for
it whilst thou has time:
And that thou
mayest prepared be,
Live unto Him
that died for thee.”
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Grave No. 18
John Steele 1813:
“Go home dear
friends
Refrain from
tears
I must sleep
here”
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Grave No. 19
Charles Bedson 1901:
“THE CUP WAS
BITTER THE STRING SEVERE
TO PART WITH
THOSE WE LOVED SO DEAR
WE’LL TRUST
IN GOD AND NOT COMPLAIN
AND HOPE IN
HEAVEN TO MEET AGAIN.”
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Grave No. 20
Daniel Massey 1906:
“BRIGHTER
FAIRER FAR THAN LIVING
WITH ITS
TRACE OF CARE AND PAIN,
CLOTHED IN
EVERLASTING BEAUTY,
WE SHALL SEE
THEM BOTH AGAIN.”
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Grave No. 21
Thomas Warde 1852:
“Enshrouded
with their silent dead
Rests, free
from worldly care,
A loved
one._stranger, softly tread,
A Mother’s
sleeping there.”
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Grave No. 22
George Salmon 1814:
“My time is
come next may be thine
Prepare for
it whilst thou hast time
That thou
mayest prepared be
Live to him
that died for thee.”
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Grave No. 23
Hugh Broomhall 1763:
“This stone
out of a firm respect
To his lov’d
name I here erect
Whose life I
priz’d to death lament
... ... must
learn to be ...”
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Grave No. 24
Sarah Williamson 1817:
“You that
pass by, and say of me,
Alas’ her
Life is done,
Be it well
known unto you all,
My Life is
now begun,
The Life I
liv’d among you all;
Was Sorrow,
Grief, and Pain;
But now I
have a Life indeed,
Of Pleasure,
Love, and Peace.”
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Grave No. 25
Samuel Proctor 1801:
“AFFLICTION
SORE LONG TIME I BORE
PHYSICIANS
WERE IN VAIN
TILL GOD DID
PLEASE TO GIVE ME BASE
AND FREED ME
FROM MY PAIN.”
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(Grave No. 6: Ann Colley
who died 17th January 1837, aged 61 Years)
Locations of Selected
Grave Poetry at
All Saints’ Church, Madeley,
North Staffordshire
This Google Maps Satellite Imagery has been reproduced under their fair usage policy. “Imagery © 2022 Bluesky, CNES / Airbus, Getmapping plc, Infotera Ltd & Bluesky, Maxar Technologies, Map data ©2022 Google (https://www.google.co.uk/maps/)”
Recommended Links:
I recommend
the two websites about All Saints’ Church in Madeley, North Staffordshire:-
All Saints’ Church Madeley Website @ https://sites.google.com/view/allsaints-madeley/home
All Saints’ Church, Madeley, North Staffordshire Wikipedia Entry @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Church,_Madeley
I also
recommend this Protective Marks article I wrote about examples of Ritual
Protection
at All
Saints’ Church, Madeley:-
Saltire
Crosses, Marian Marks and Compass Drawn Protections:
All
Saints' Church, Madeley, North Staffordshire @
https://sites.google.com/site/charlesfaireyhistorian/publications/apotropaic-identification
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Acknowledgements:
With Special
Thanks to:-
- My friends Michael ‘Jarl’ Oakes, who accompanied me when visiting All
Saints’ Church at Madeley, as part of ‘Heritage Open Days’, on Saturday 17th
September 2022.
- Guides at
All Saints’ Church at Madeley, who showed us around the interior of the Church.
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