Preserving and Reuniting Gravestone Fragments

We are currently working on a really exciting gravestone project that has evolved from the rubble cleanup we did in September.
 
Back in 2015, numerous fragments of gravemarkers were relocated from around the graveyard into the safety of Thundridge Old Church tower. When we commissioned a survey of the building in 2023, several of these memorial stones were clearly visible amongst the shoulder high pile of rubble and rubbish in the tower’s base. With diocesan permission a faculty was awarded to TOCAG to remove and archive these fragments when the door was installed on the tower and the rubble was cleaned up. The fragments were temporarily moved offsite for storage and processing.
 
TOCAG volunteers, under the supervision of professional archaeologist David, cleaned, crated and puzzled together almost 200 fragments. Gravestone fragments varied from huge slabs of marble 160mm thick to pieces a few inches across and everything in between. Every fragment, large or small is given a unique number, written onto a label and tied on. Each piece needs its own data entry form completed based on a Historic England approved list of characteristics, including dimensions, material, and drawing. It then needs photographing next to a measuring bar and storage in a numbered crate for retrieval.
 
Based on fragment measurements, markings, fonts and known inscriptions, fragments belonging to the same stone are reunited wherever possible in crates dedicated to that memorial. This work was led by TOCAG trustee and lead historian Emma Blowers. Based on dates and names, other fragments can be associated with known memorial inscriptions, church records and antiquary surveys.
 

Example of what we’ve found

 
Two fragments, at the top of the pile, were tagged up 004 and 005. Whilst 004 was quickly identified, 005 was initially put aside as it required more of a deep clean to decipher its inscription. This meant that it was among the final pieces to be recorded on a datasheet and was among our ‘most wanted’. The fragment inscribed to the memory of Mr Thomas Brown (005) was finally reunited with his wife Mrs Jane Brown (004) and they will be stored together in the hope that further matches are found in the tower stored fragment crates or with standing and fallen pieces in Thundridge Old Churchyard.
 
Thankfully a more complete record of the stone was recorded in 1993, when found moved 25m from its owners’ final resting place and lying smashed by Thundridge Old Church Tower and we have that transcription to use to decipher the stone. As you can see, we’ve discovered some errors in the transcription.
 
We turned also to the Thundridge parish records and found that Jane Brown ‘of Puckeridge’ was buried 2/9/1793, Jane’s widower, Thomas Brown, age 87 [so born ~1716] ‘of Puckeridge’ was buried 1/12/1803.
No further records are known for Thomas and Jane, although during their lives two further Thomas Browns were christened at Thundridge, possibly children, grandchildren or great grandchildren: Thomas Brown christened Thundridge 28/8/1764, son of Thomas and Jane of Standon; and Thomas Brown christened Thundridge 19/5/1793, son of James and Sarah of Thundridge.
 
Are these Browns your ancestors? Perhaps they lived in your house or road? They would certainly have known sites that we still cherish in our parish, including Thundridge Old Church tower.
 
TOCAG would be delighted to welcome further volunteers to help complete a digital archive of the recorded data and associated photographs, which can be done remotely. We have also begun to create a digital survey of the grave sites at the old church, uncovering the family ties and remarkable stories of the local people buried there between 1750 and 1880. If you would like to join us in this work, please email us.