Headstones of famous people can be found in cemeteries around the world, and many of them contain inscriptions written either by or about the deceased. These epitaphs, far from being simply morbid, often make interesting reading.
Take, for example, the headstone of William Shakespeare, which reads: “Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear, To dig the dust enclosed here, Blessed be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones”.
The reasoning behind this inscription is that he lived in morbid fear of his body being dug up after his death. Fortunately, his grave, which is in the English town of Stratford has remained, as he desired, untouched.
John Keats’s headstone, which is in Rome, is adorned with the design of a lyre with broken strings, which was added by Keats’s friends Joseph Severn and Charles Brown, and makes no reference to his name. He wanted only the following inscription: “Here lies one whose name was writ in water”.
His friends later added the following: “This grave contains all that was mortal of a young English poet who on his death bed in the bitterness of his heart at the malicious power of his enemies desired these words to be engraven on his tomb stone”.
The location of Robin Hood’s grave is at a Cistercian priory in Kirklees in England has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. Unfortunately, it is not actually where he was buried!
The original grave slab went missing around 1665. A replica was made, but this was chipped to pieces by canal workers in the 18th century who were convinced that a little bit of Robin Hood’s headstone could cure toothache.
With a little bit of research, you will probably find that there are a few headstones in cemeteries near you that belong to famous people from yesteryear. Though it might not make a great hobby per se, spending a day visiting these makes for an interesting and cheap day out.
Alternatively, you can just search around online, where you will find plenty of images of famous headstones. Finding out what your deceased heroes decided to leave as their farewell message can really make you see them in a new light.
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To celebrate the launch of their new website, Granite Memorials are running a competition to find the most interesting and witty inscription on a famous personality’s headstone. Send your photos, explaining where and when you took them and why you feel it should rank in the Headstones Hall of Fame, for more info please visit http://www.granite-memorials.co.uk
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