(C) Ledgerstone Survey of England & Wales

In St. Mary’s church in Sandwich, Kent, is a simple ledger that is showing the signs of three centuries of dust and deterioration under people’s feet.  Demonstrating the importance of the historical record to verify difficult-to-read dates incised into the stones,  the date of death on the stone can only be established from the record made by the Revd. Bryan Faussett in the 18th century. Despite appearing to show a date of 1787, Faussett made his record in 1760 and notes a year of 1687 for Rebecca Powell’s death. Also, note the spelling of the word ‘aged’, as ‘AT THE EAGE OF…’.

Here lieth The Bodye of Mrs Rebecca POWELL (*Povel) and her Child, The Wife of Mr Joseph Powell; the eldest Daughter of Mrs Rebecca STROUD, deceased at the Age of 27 Yeares, the 9th of October 1687. If the Tears (*teares) of a Mother could fetch (*fech) them back again, I could be (*bee) mourning all my Days (*dayes), to My Live’s (*lives) End. But, I hope, in Heav’n their (*there) Souls are at Rest; Which makes the Change (*theire exchaing) much for the best. (*Variants in Boys, 319). *

*Reference:
Archaeologia Cantiana: The Journal of The Kent Archaeological Society (https://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/Research/Libr/MIs/MIsSandwichStMary/01.htm), accessed 23rd January 2017

Sandwich, Kent – A Simple Poem – Powell (Ledgerstone of the Month – January 2017)