Regency Style Tombstones

John Winston  ~  John Winston

Is the most legible name on both of these stones, but it looks as though another name beginning with the letter 'M' appears above it on the left, all other information on these stones is not fully legible

On first appearances the inscriptions on these headstones look as though they could be easily read, but the lichen has made it almost impossible.
I believe these headstones to be in a Regency Style and whilst I have seen others of this period with flaming urns and obelisks, I have not seen them carved in such deep relief and in so much detail. I especially like the round name plate which appears to be hanging on the obelisk, shame it's not now legible.
The name Mr. John Winston appears on both headstones, but as is often the practice, a husbands name may appear larger than that of his wife's, even when it is her monument. Mr. Winston must have been a wealthy man, as these monuments are grandly embellished and also because they are quite close to the church door ~ prime location was more desirable and so came at a higher cost.

 St. Mary's Church, Eaton Socon, Cambridge

Monday Mourning ~ Symbolism

This amazing pillar is full of symbolic funerary images and was one of four that stood at the corners of a memorial in the Zorgflied cemetery in Amsterdam.

The inverted Torch is a purely funerary symbol and it comes in two forms. The first one, shows a torch that is alight, indicating that even in death, the soul ~ the flames of fire ~ continue to burn brightly in another realm of existence. The second inverted torch, that which bears no flame, simply shows a life that is extinguished.

At the top of the column, the winged hourglass reminds us that time is fleeting, as the sands of time ceaselessly ebb away from one sphere of life to another. The wings further remind us of 'how time flies'.

Inside the circular carvings on the scrolls, are Butterflies that relate to it's three stages of life. With the caterpillar representing 'life', the chrysalis is for 'death' and the butterfly is ultimately 'resurrection'.

The Ouroboros ~ a snake biting or eating it's own tail ~ is a symbol of eternity, immortality and rejuvenation.

The Scallop Shell symbolises a journey or pilgrimage and is also a symbol of baptism, specifically the Baptism of Christ.

The Shell's association with the element of water, is seen as a female/goddess energy in some cultures and because the shell many contain a pearl, is considered as lucky and a sign of prosperity. 

I shall be featuring a blog on this splendid monument in the near future.