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Eighteenth century slate gravestone carvers in the Vale One of the earliest Charnwood slate gravestones in the east of the Vale of Belvoir. This one, dated 1703, is at Elton on the Hill. I have not attempted any sort of survey of the Charnwood ('Swithland') slate gravestones in the Vale of Belvoir, still less recorded the names of the people who carved them. However in 1969 David Neave and Vanessa Heron published a summary of their survey of all the CofE churchyards in Kesteven. Yes, all of them. And as well as identifying many slate carvers with workshops in Kesteven, they also identified ones based outside that part of Lincolnshire. There is also a pioneering study called 'Slate headstones in Nottinghamshire' by Maurice Barley (1909–91) which was published in 1948. So this Chronicle entry is a bit of a cheat. I've taken information from Barley, Neave and Heron about carvers based in the Vale and added some photographs plus just a little personal knowledge about the gravestones of the Vale. It's far from a complete list of carvers in the Vale. But sheds a little bit of light, especially on one of the most skilled and prolific of the carvers, Thomas Wood of Bingham. Charnwood slate begins to be used for gravestones from about 1640, but only in villages close to the quarries. By the 1690s these memorials are appearing over a bigger area. And then, from about 1700, they reach as far as Grantham. About 1730 the carvers begin adding their surnames to the bottom of the gravestones. If the memorial is erected in the parish churchyard where they lived and worked then only their surname appears. If the headstone is erected further away they will add their village or town. So Thomas Wood will just carve 'Wood' on his work in Bingham and 'Wood of Bingham' on memorials elsewhere. Only when sons begin to produce work do initials as well as surnames appear. The following list is in alphabetical order of the settlement: Thomas Wood of Bingham. Born 1760, died 1841. Three signed gravestones in Kesteven and many examples in the Vale of Belvoir. He carved at least three with fancy pheasants. They are at Caythorpe (Lincolnshire), East Bridgford and Langar. Maurice Barley thought his figural work was not the best. But was very impressed with his emulation of new lettering styles as they came into fashion in printing. A double memorial by Thomas Wood in Bingham churchyard. Woods' double pheasants at Langar. Charles Sturdey signed one headstone, dated 1753, in Bingham churchyard. John Jones of Bingham. Born 1772, died 1837. Eight signed gravestones in Kesteven. Jeremiah Nicholson of Easthorpe was listed as a stonemason in the Universal British Directory, 1791. No signed memorials are known. George Edward Langley of Bingham. A painter, gilder and engraver. Thirteen headstones from 1831 to 1864 in Bingham churchyard. George Oakes of Bingham. Born in Mansfield Woodhouse, Oakes was active as a painter, stone engraver and auctioneer in Bingham from about 1840 until he died in 1876. There are twenty-two of Oakes' stones in Bingham churchyard, from 1835 to 1870. C. Moffat, possibly of Bingham. One headstone dated 1849 in Bingham churchyard. S. Huskinson of Bingham. Ten headstones from 1862 to 1893 in Bingham churchyard. John Simpkin of Bottesford. Born 1749, died 1816. Forty-seven signed gravestones in Kesteven, of which thirty are at Woolsthorpe old church. Neave and Heron think John Simpkin worked for Frances Lamb (see below). This is consistent with Francis's son, George, dying at the age of 27. Joseph Challands of Bottesford. Signed gravestones in Kesteven with dates from 1830 to 1850. Frances/Francis Lamb of Bottesford. Born 1705, died 1789. There is a gravestone dated 1728 at Denton and forty others signed by him in Kesteven. George Lamb, son of Frances. Born 1743, died 1770. Two signed gravestones known in Kesteven. A gravestone at Farndon dated 1758 engraved by Frances Lamb. This rubbing was taken by Maurice Barley in the 1940s and included in his 1948 article 'Slate headstones in Nottinghamshire'. It provides a good idea of how all these slate gravestones looked when new as we know from monuments inside churches that the lettering and engraved decoration was filled with white paint. John Wright of Hickling. William Barnes of Long Clawson. Signed gravestones in Kesteven with dates from 1772 to 1798. Swain of Long Clawson. Signed gravestones in Kesteven with dates from 1800 to 1862. Possibly this was a father and son workshop. A weaver called Thomas Swain living in Long Clawson made a Will in 1768. Plausibly he is the grandfather of the gravestone carver of 1800 onwards. I. Warde of 'Orlston' [sic]. Maurice Barley, writing in 1948, reported one signed gravestone dated 1731 at Great Gonerby. However a visit in 2025 failed to locate this. A Joseph Warde married at Orston in 1724 and died there in 1738 (Barley 1948 p76 fn1). The use of an initial at such an early date is unusual. Maybe he had a lot of siblings? R. Brown of Whatton. There is a gravestone at Orston signed 'Brown' dated 1776. The work of James Sparrow of Radcliffe-on-Trent is found in the Vale. Maurice Barley considers him to be one of the best of the slate carvers. Although he worked at Radcliffe his father, John, was brought up at Car Colston, only moving to Radcliffe in 1708, eight years before the birth of James. A quick survey of Orston churchyard reveals, in addition to the Brown headstone, three gravestones by Thomas Wood (a double memorial dated 1790/1798 plus single memorials dated 1801 and 1823). Also two closely-matching memorials signed 'GL' (George Lamb). One is dated 1759 and the other is damaged. The gravestone signed by Brown at Orston. Mr Virdun of Stathern was active around 1834, although his signed slates are outside the Vale at Croxton Kerrial and Scalford. Sources David Neave and Vanessa Heron, 1969, 'Kesteven Slate Headstones and their Engravers 1700–1825', The Local Historian No.6 (May); online at slha.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/import/Downloads/LHA4-Neave-Heron.pdf and www.balh.org.uk/publication-tlh-the-local-historian-volume-8-number-6-may-1969. M.W. Barley, 1948, 'Slate headstones in Nottinghamshire', Transactions of the Thoroton Society Vol 52, p. 69–86; online at doi.org/10.5284/1115919 Roderick Cave, 2012 (2025), An index of monumental masons and slate engravers in the East Midlands; online at www.hoap.co.uk/an_index_of _monumental_masons.pdf. Back to top of this page     Back to home page   This website does not gather or store any visitor information. 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Chronicle entries home page what's new? the geology of the Vale the boundaries and rivers of the Vale long, long ago prehistory in the Vale prehistoric boundaries in the Vale north-south prehistoric routeways Romans roads in the Vale Roman settlements in and near the Vale long ago introduction to Anglo-Saxons place-names of the Vale waterborne transport around the sixth century Orston's early church Anglo-Saxon sculpture in the Vale why Orston lost out to Bingham and Bottesford what the Normans did for the Vale Granby's importance in 1086 Granby's lost castle the Vale's watermills in 1086 Romanesque sculpture in the Vale St Remigius why Bottesford is in Leicestershire the Vale in medieval times medieval gargoyles of the Vale Eastwell's chancel screen St Ethelburga's church other early saints Elston's old chapel Muston and Long Clawson saltways of the Vale the Vale's medieval tile collection the Vale in Tudor times Dissolution in the Vale not that long ago the Vale in the C17th the 'great and the good' of the Vale Bottesford's effigies 'wicked practice and sorcerye' the whales on the Whalley memorial Car Colston's bigoted GP cum JP the Vale's very own regicide Wiverton Hall five rare C17th fonts in the Vale pinfolds and pounds in the Vale dovecotes in the Vale the Vale in the C18th turnpiking the Vale gravestones and C18th trade routes goodbye 'Belvoir Angels' C18th gravestone carvers in the Vale Daffy's Elixir the Marquess of Granby Stilton from the Vale springs and spas of the Vale outstanding organs in the Vale Grantham canal changes in the Vale's agriculture since 1800 Eastwell's recusant priest house and chapel Colston Bassett's ruined church seems like yesterday windmills in the Vale stained glass in the Vale village life in the southern Vale 1850 to 1880 folklore of the Vale Flintham museum lacemaking in the Vale gypsum pits in the Vale brick and tile works in the Vale ironstone quarrying in the Vale ironstone railways ironstone quarries of Leicestershire (YouTube video) The Vale's railway stations Orston's famous architect Mothers Union banners of the Vale redundant telephone exchanges in the Vale WWII airfields and pillboxes in the Vale the Vale in 1944 location shooting at Belvoir Castle Screveton's giants researching and writing local history the Vale as a verb getting started free advice from 2005 asking curious questions (YouTube video) local history groups in and around the Vale Aslockton (Cranmer LHG) Bingham Heritage Trails Association Bottesford Eastwell Harby Harlaxton Hickling Redmile archive Belvoir Villages History and Memories Group Belvoir Angel Society Grantham Canal Society you may also be interested in free PDFs written by Bob Trubshaw Earliest Churches in Nottinghamshire How Anglo-Saxons Found Their Way Anglo-Saxon Leicestershire Conversations in Churchyards Little-known Leicestershire and Rutland Bob Trubshaw's YouTube channel Introduction to medieval carvings Anglo-Saxon and Romanesque carvings How Anglo-Saxons found their way Anglo-Saxon shrines at fords Meetings at triangles Rota's Land and Franni's Land Reading Romanesque fonts Church and manor The significances of square headdresses Early churches and waterborne trade Charnwood slate gravestones and C18th trade routes Ironstone quarries of Leicestershire Roman roads in north-east Leicestershire Salt ways in Leicestershire Why Melton Mowbray needed to called 'middle town' Evolving Anglo-Saxon agriculture Nottinghamshire's earliest churches Ploughs not piety? Economic regeneration in the C7th Were Anglo-Saxon weaving huts women-only places? Barrowby Until Now website Rutland Village by Village website Sepulchral Effigies of Leicestershire and Rutland