Monday Mourning ~ Tomb Styles

Temple Tombs

Brompton Cemetery

Temple Tombs have a low pitched roof that is supported on columns as shown above or with a similar roof supported by pillars at the front and with a solid wall at the rear, resembling a porticoed facade in the style of a Grecian Temple.

The Greek Revival style was a popular architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States.

Monday Mourning ~ Tomb Styles

Coffin Tomb

The Coffin tomb has a main body that is coffin shaped and the three above also have head and foot stones. The ones pictured here all belong to the same family and the smaller one in the middle contains two children of that family.

Here is another example of Coffin tombs from the same churchyard, where the main stone has a rounded top and is a tapered coffin shape, these examples also have head and foot stones as well.  

   

The Coffin tombs above are in the Churchyard of Holy Trinity, a Church of England parish church in Rayleigh, Essex. A church has existed on this site since Saxon times and the present building has a Norman chancel. The bell tower was built in the 15th century and includes stone taken from the castle when that fell into disuse. The church has an impressive Tudor brick porch. The Gothic Revival architect, C.C. Rolfe restored the chancel in 1873.

More coffin tombs, this time from St.Mary's Church in Saffron Walden, Essex.

Monday Mourning ~ Tomb Styles

Sarcophagus Tomb

Llandudno, Wales

The Sarcophagus tomb has the appearance that it contains the actual body of the departed, however the is not the case, as the body would be interred in a vault below ground. The Sarcophagus style may be simple as these examples here, or very ornate indeed, a common main feature is that the main body of the tomb is tapered towards the bottom and that it stands upon feet, which can often appear to be those of a lion. 

Brompton Cemetery, London

Bunhill Field, London

Monday Mourning ~ Tomb Styles

Table Tombs

Runcorn Cemetery, Cheshire

Brompton Cemetery, London

Table tombs usually consist of a flat stone onto which the details of the departed are often inscribed. This is supported on four or more legs or supports similar to the first picture above.

Also a sarcophagus may be found underneath the table top.

Brompton Cemetery, London

    

 



Monday Mourning ~ Tomb Styles

Altar Tomb

 

An Altar Tomb like the one above in St.Peter and St. Pauls Churchyard is similar in shape to the plain, rectangular box of the Chest Tomb. However the Altar Tomb, which may be raised on a stepped plinth is more ornamental and often decorated with foliage and family crests on its sides and lid, it may even bear the sleeping effigy of the deceased and have an architecural canopy above it.

On Lid:

In Loving Memory of

Henry Pearle

who died at Dane House January 19th 1911

aged 93 years

His end was Peace, Peace Perfect Peace

On front:

Here Rests

The body of Ann Pearle

the beloved and loving wife of

Henry Pearle of Blunts Hall

who died Feb. 23rd 1892

Unfortunately I did not discover much about the Pearles, but found out something interesting about Blunt Hall, where the Pearles had lived.

   Frank Sainsbury 

Frank was not cut out for shop work and was dismissed as branch manger when his father caught him riding a bicycle around the shop. He was then sent to work on the farm of a family friend where he became successful. Blunt Hall Farm was purchased in 1902 and it was from here that he began suppling Eggs and Poultry to the family shop. Sainsburys is now one of the largest chains of Supermarkets in this country. 

Click on Frank's name under the photograph for more information on the Sainsbury Family.