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St Oswald, Ashbourne, Derbyshire
26/01/2016: My nearest big church. The renowned 212 foot spire still catches the eye from all corners of the town, despite having lived nearby for over 25 years. The east part of the graveyard is largely cleared but the south and west are still well populated.
At the south east corner is a slab, now in three pieces, recording the life and death of Johne Peterson, a Norwegian prisoner of war, captured in 1810. Peterson decided to stay in Ashbourne after he was freed, having become a "truly devout and humble Christian".
The headstone to Ann Tomlinson has a classic reversed N, overcut the right way round, giving the appreance of an N crossed with an X.
The sandstone headstone to Joseph Shaw records that he died on his birthday in 1811 aged ?35. The letter cutter seems to have made an error on the word 'departed' and has inserted a patch. Both patch and headstone are now eroding.
A stone records the death of one Exuperius Brown, who died in 1744. The people of the Peak District were more eclectic in their choice of names than you might think.
In 1818 the 21 year old James Clemitson, who may have been a tea dealer, was on a journey from Wormwood Street in the city of London when he was taken ill in Ashbourne. He died in the town and a stone was "erected by an affectionate Brother".
The church was very dark on my latest visit but fortunately the chapel with all the Boothby monuments has automatic lights. You will find a heap of good photos of these tombs and effigies elsewhere, but here are some snapshots and things which I spotted around the church.
The black slate slab for Charles Boothby is very poorly cut and has a couple of errors, but is redeemed by a very apologetic looking memento mori skull.
