Epitaph of Ann Bowles of Bengeo, Obit 1770

A typical 18th century gravestone

Here I lies sleeping in the dust
Until the Resurrection of the Just 
Waiting the Voice of Christ to say 
Arise my Saint and come away.

An epitaph  recorded in Cream of CuriosityI

An Epitaph to Sir John Mandevile in St Albans Abbey

A typical 18th century gravestone

Lo in this Inn of Travellers doth lie

One rich for nothing but a memory

His name was Sir John Mandevile content

Having seen much with a small continent

Towards which he travell'd ever since his birth

And at last pawn'd his Body for the earth

Which by a statute must in mortgage be

Till a Redeemer come to set it free.

An epitaph from St Albans Abbey recorded in Cream of Curiosity

Charles Stewart of Stevenage, obit 1796

A typical 18th century gravestone

CHARLES STEWART. OB. 1796

Adieu vain world I've seen 

Enough of Thee

And am careless what thou 

Canst say of me

What Faults you have seen in me 

Take care to shun

And look at home enough 

There's to be done.

An epitaph from Stevenage recorded in Cream of Curiosity

An Accident at Ware Mill recorded on a tombstone at Amell

A typical 18th century gravestone

Mourn not for me my wife and children dear

I am not dead but slumber here

It was by a fatal Jam at Ware Mill I fell Alas

I never spoke nor did my secrets reveal.

An epitaph from Amwell recorded in Cream of Curiosity

Joseph Abbot of Hitchin, obit 1802

A typical 18th century gravestone

JOSEPH ABBOT, OB. 1802

A plain upright man without Guile or Pride

Goodness his aim and Honesty his Guide

Could all the pomps of this vain world despise

And only after death desir'd to rise.

An epitaph from Hitchin recorded in Cream of Curiosity

An Epitaph from Amwell

A typical 18th century gravestone

Tho' boistrous winds and Neptune's waves

Have toss/d me to and fro

In spite of all by God's decree

I harbour here below

Where I now at an anchor ride

With many of our fleet

Yet once again I must set sail

Our admiral Christ to meet.

An epitaph from Amwell recorded in Cream of Curiosity

Drowning Accident - William Williams of Cheshunt - obit 1782

A typical 18th centure
gravestone

In silence here beneath a youth is laid

By whom the sports of nature were survey'd

With ravished breast o'er meads he did pursue

The started hare which o'er the landskip flew

By which pursuit his heart oprest with heat

Plung'd in the stream which nature thought so sweet

But now the stream a change to nature gave

And plung'd this youth deep in the silent grave.

An epitaph from Cheshunt recorded in Cream of Curiosity

Alas poor Tom, who died at Hunsdon in 1735

A typical 18th century gravestone

THOMAS KING. OB. 1735

Here lies Tom King old Dad of fame

Who knew his Gun and eke his Game

The fact whereof both Ball's and Luton

Now can fully prove the truth on

He loved his Bottle and his Friend

Which he enjoy'd unto his End

He Dy'd at last alas poor Tom!

Behold at last his Slab and Tomb.

An epitaph from Hunsdon recorded in Cream of Curiosity

Henry Graves goes to the grave in 1702

A typical 18th century
gravestone

Here lies in one grave more than one Grave;

Envious Death at last has gained his Prize;

No Pills or Potions here could make him tarry,

Resolv'd he was to fetch away old Harry.

You foolish Doctors could you all miscarry!

Great were his actions on the tempestuous waves,

Resistless seas could never conquer Graves.

At Colchester he met this overthrow,

Unhappily you lost him at a blow;

Each marine hero shed for him a tear

St Margret's now in him must have a share.

An epitaph from Stanstead St Margaret church to Henry Graves, who died in 1702 as recorded in Cream of Curosity

Thoughts from a Country Churchyard

A typical late 18th century gravestone

When this you see remember me

And think now I am gone,

You may walk out and seek about

And not find such a one.

Memorial Inscription from the Churchyard at Ardeley

Recorded in Cream of Curiosity

The Cream of Curiosity by Reginald Hine

Reginald Leslie Hine (1883-1949) wrote many important books on the history of Hitchin and for this reason I was interested to discover one of his earliest books The Cream of Curiosity, which was published in 1920. It includes two illustrations by the famous  William Heath Robinson. It is an account of various historical and literary manuscripts in Hine's personal collection, none of which appear to relate to Hertfordshire. 

However the book includes a chapter on memorial epitaphs and includes a goodly number of Hertfordshire epitaphs, such as this one from Cottered:

What to vain mortals can a pleasure be

When no one part is from consumption free;

The head, the hand, the knee a palsy shakes,

The blood runs chill and every member quakes.

Death will the end of all my sorrows be,

And then I launch into eternity