Hello - I like old cemeteries

[GenThePerservering]

10. The DH and I

love to visit churchyards when we travel, particularly in England. The earliest gravesite we've bagged was mid-16th century, which is unusual since usually they don't survive - this one was a small above-ground entombment which had part of a tree growing through it.

Skulls and skull/crossbones relief carvings were common in older headstones.

But the most instructive I ever saw was visiting relations at the local veterans cemetery where we go every year. This time I ran across a small headstone that said "Whatever you want to do, do it now" - I've never forgotten that vet for his wisdom beyond the grave.

Oldest church entombment was an unnamed knight in a late viking-era tomb in a cathedral in England - it was in the back of the enormous church all by himself and I stood by there for along time, looking into the startled eyes that seems to typify Viking/anglo-saxon carving wondering who this brave individual was, buried with his shield and sword a thousand years ago but now forgotten.