Friday's Funerary Symbols ~ Bluebells

Bluebells are a symbol of humility, gratitude, constancy and ever~lasting love. Bluebells are also associated with the Fairy Realm and when the flowers 'bells' are rung, this would call the wee folk to come together.

Another name for Bluebells is 'Dead Man's Bells' due to the belief that the fairies were thought to cast spells on those who picked or trod on them.  

In Scotland they are widely known as 'Harebells' where it is believed that Witches would shape~shift into Hares and hide amongst the flowers.

Bluebells love partial shade and for this reason they are found in wooded areas. The dappled sunlight that filters down through the mature trees of Key Hill Cemetery in Birmingham, provides exactly the right setting for them to flourish all over the graves there. 

Although when carved in stone the Bluebell is similar in appearance to the Lily~of~the~Valley, it's the narrow leaf and slimmer shaped bell that defines it here.   

Emily Bronte 1850

'The Bluebell is the sweetest flower

that waves in summer air

its blossoms have the mightiest power

to soothe my spirit's care'

Friday's Funerary Symbols ~ Grim Reaper Scythes

The Scythes on this mausoleum in the village of Saint~Cirq~Lapopie, represents the cuttting of mortal ties with the land of the living, as the Souls of the recently deceased are harvested by the Grim Reaper.

Inside the mausoleum

The beautifully detailed Winged Hourglass on the lower half of the door depicts the swift passage of time.

Here's another pair of Scythes, this time from Cahors Cemetery, France.

Friday's Funerary Symbols ~ Swifts

These are the first Swifts I have ever seen to be pictured on a tombstone and I think they are so beautiful, that you could almost forget the sense of loss they depict.

The symbol of the Swift denotes the fleeting passage of time that their brief summer visits herald. When portrayed as a flock of swifts, these migratory birds remind us of the departure that comes before a journey toward a better place. 

Sacred to the Memory of

James Childs

Died April 5 1880 Age 60 Years

also James, Grandson

Died Dec 25 1886 Age 7 Mths

also Sarah, his wife

Died March16 1897 Age 76 Years

also Elizabeth, Granddaughter

 ? Age 9 Years 

There is also another Grandson who died May 22 and another Elizabeth, who died in January that is mentioned as well. Unfortunately I was unable to get any closer due to overgrown brambles in that area and so this was the best I could capture from a distance.

Fridays Funerary Symbols ~ Curtains

The symbolism of Curtains or Drapes, represents the divide between the world of the living and that of the next, as in the saying ~ Beyond the Veil. Whilst the purpose of a curtain may be that of concealment, it may also be used as a form of protection.

The veil that covered the Ark of the Covenant, was intended to protect mortals from its radiance.

I had not seen such good examples of Curtains until I found these two similar examples.

Surprisingly I found them on the same day, the first one in Wales and the other in England.

  

In Loving Memory of

Elizabeth

the beloved wife of

Benjamin Jones

Green Bank, Augusta St., Llandudno

who died August 17th 1897

Aged 57 years

also of

Benjamin Jones

Died ~ to worn to read

also of

Eliza Jane Evans

Died Jan. 18th 1928

Aged 62 years 

 In Loving Memory of

Sarah Ellen

the dearly beloved daughter of

Andrew & Rachel

Millinger

born January 15th 1872

died August 21st 1875

Jesus called a little child unto him

Thomas Alfred

their dearly beloved son

born May16th 1877 died May17th 1899

Thy Will Be Done

Rachel

the dearly beloved wife of

Andrew Millinger

born June 13th 1844 died October 1918

He giveth his beloved sleep

Also the above named

Andrew Millinger

died April ?  Aged 87 years

Friday's Funerary Symbols ~ Sundials

All Saints, Gt. Chesterford, Essex

St.Mary's, Garthorpe, Leicestershire

St.Peter and St. Pauls, Aldeburgh, Suffolk

The Sundial symbolises the fleeting passage of time, in much the same way as the symbol of the hourglass does.

It also reminds us of of Psalm 97 v 11 'Light shines on the righteous'. With the sunlight being seen as basking in God's love and blessings.

Shame that the names and dates on the sundials above were so badly worn as to make them unreadable.
The sundial below, was not being used as an individual headstone, but was in the garden of remembrance, for the interment of ashes at Stotfold Cemetery.

Friday's Funerary Symbols ~ The Anvil

Verdriet en Geluk Lopen Samen

( Sorrow and Happiness Travel Together )

Chris Kotterer

13~02~1918     19~12~1997

Traditionally the Anvil symbolises the essential forging of the Universe and the one pictured above has an Anchor etched on it, which symbolises hope.

Saint Clement ~ who features in the Legend below ~ was the patron saint of Blacksmiths 

He was a Roman bishop, who died in 100AD.

He was martyred after having been bound to an anchor and thrown into the Black sea on November 23 of that year.

Legend of The Blacksmiths Anvil

People of the Ancients worlds regarded Blacksmiths as being endowed with supernatural skill, and therefore they were thought of as magicians, with divine powers. Because they worked with the elements of fire and air, they were able to turn rock ore into metals that made tools for farming, domestic implements and weapons for protection. This exclusive knowledge of metal-working was an art shrouded in mystery.
Throughout worldwide mythologies, blacksmiths were magical craftsmen who were looked upon as superior to other artisans, owing to their faculty of working with fire and of manipulating iron with ease and dexterity. It was believed that their wondorous abilities were above the plane of ordinary mortals, surely because they had received supernatural instruction. .
The importance of the blacksmith's art in early mediaeval times is told in the following tale.

King Alfred the Great ~ 849~899AD ~ assembled together seven of his main craftsmen, to appoint one of them as the Chief above the others. It would be awarded to the one whose craft could sustain the longest, without the assistance of the others.
Alfred invited them all to a banquet,  and commanded them to bring a specimen of their handiwork and the tools with which it was made. 
The blacksmith brought his hammer and a newly forged horse-shoe, the tailor his scissors and a newly sewn garment.
The baker brought his wooden bread-shovel and a loaf of freshly baked bread, the shoemaker brought his awl and a pair of newly stitched shoes.
The carpenter brought his saw and a squared plank, the butcher brought his boning-knife and a large piece of meat and the mason brought his trowel and a corner-stone.

After careful consideration, a decree was made that the tailor's work made him the best choice and so he was chosen to be the Chief of the artisans.
The blacksmith felt aggrieved and vowed to work no more, for as long as the tailor was chief, so he closed his forge and left.

Soon after, the King's horse lost a shoe and the remaining craftsmen, one after another wore down their tools. Although the tailor continued to ply his trade longer than the others, he too was soon obliged to cease work.
Whereupon the King and his artisans decided to try their hands at blacksmithing.
The King's horse trod on his royal master, the tailor burnt his fingers whilst the others met with various mishaps.

They began to quarrel among themselves and in the fracas, the anvil was overturned with a crash. Saint Clement appeared, arm in arm with the blacksmith and the King welcomed them respectfully, saying:
"I have made a bad mistake, my friends, in allowing myself to be beguiled by the tailor's fine cloth and his skillful handiwork; in common fairness the blacksmith, without whose aid the other workmen can accomplish nothing, should be proclaimed chief artisan."
The tradesmen, with the exception of the tailor, begged the worthy Blacksmith to make new tools for them, which he proceeded to do, including a brand-new pair of scissors for the tailor.
Then the King reorganized the society of artisans and proclaimed the Smithy as Chief, who was greeted with wishes for good health and happiness.
As celebrations began, a song entitled 'The Merry Blacksmith' was sung and can still be heard to this day at the festivities of tradesmen's guilds in England.

Saint Eligius ( Eloy ), is also represented as the guardian of farriers and blacksmiths. He flourished in the seventh century, and in his youth served as an apprentice to a goldsmith at Limoges, where he became very proficient in the art of working the precious metals.
According to a well-known legend, Saint Eligius was shoeing a horse, which refused to stand still, he is said to have cut off the animal's foot, to put on the shoe. After making the sign of the cross, he replaced the foot and the horse experienced no harm or ill effects.