St Peter, Broughton, Staffordshire

St Peter, Broughton, Staffordshire

St. Peter's at Broughton was built by Thomas Broughton in 1630-34 as a chapel for Broughton Hall, which was being restored and extended at that time. It was built on the site of an earlier chapel. It is thought that the chapel was used exclusively by the family until 1711 when other local gentry worshipped there. Later it became the church for the nearby hamlets.

Sarah was a widow from 1918 until 1971

Aged 102

St Michael and All Angels, Adbston, Staffordshire

St Michael and All Angels, Adbston, Staffordshire

The exterior is mainly in Tudor-Gothic style. The Perpendicular 3-stage tower has angle buttresses, and a restored quatrefoil band (characteristic of Staffordshire) below the embattled parapet with pinnacles.

Christ Church, Knightly, Staffordshire

Christ Church, Knightly, Staffordshire

Christ Church was built in 1840 on land given by Lord Lichfield. The architect was Thomas Trubshaw and the foundation stone was laid by the Countess of Lichfield on the 14th January 1840. The Church cost £752 to complete and funded by the villagers and partly from the Diocese of Lichfield. The chancel extension, vestry and choir aisle were built in 1882 in memory of Major R. Hargreaves who lived at Knightley Grange. Christ Church historically was part of the parish of Gnosall and was established to serve the outlying hamlet of Knightley.

Aged 100

Noel John died on active service in Ceylon - which strictly speaking wasn't a conflict zone.

St Peter, Norbury, Staffordshire

St Peter, Norbury, Staffordshire
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St. Peter's at Norbury was largely built between in the first half of the 14th century. The brick tower may have been built by William Baker in 1759. Unfortunately the church was locked when we called but Pevsner describes the east window as too good to be true. It was designed by Miss C. S. Burne in 1873.

The memorial tablet includes a dramatic example of financial inflation in that a large scale building project running from 1826 to 1829 is reported to have cost only £700.00!

St James the Great, Salt, Staffordshire

St James the Great, Salt, Staffordshire
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The village church is dedicated to St James the Great and was built on land donated by the Earl of Shrewsbury and largely paid for by him. It has a large circular stained glass east window, an unusually tall south porch and an open stone bell turret mounted at the east end of the church hung with two bells. The impressive wood rood screen was designed by Augustus Pugin.

Albert Bassett died "in fatal equine accident" (sic)

St Chad, Slindon, Staffordshire

St Chad, Slindon, Staffordshire
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A very fine late Victorian church designed by Basil Champneys for J. C. Salt of the banking family. We were disappointed that the church was locked as we knew that Kempe stained glass could be found inside the building.

Charles Benton was a Stonemason.

All Saints, Chebsey, Staffordshire

All Saints, Chebsey, Staffordshire
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Standing above the village on a natural mound of higher ground, the church is mostly built from reddish sandstone in the Gothic style and dates from the 12th century. The west tower dates from the 15th century, and is constructed from mostly grey with some red sandstone blocks. The external staircase turret  (on the southeast corner of the tower) at Chebsey, is an unusual feature. The church was extensively renovated in 1897 under the supervision of Staffordshire ecclesiastical architect Andrew Capper. 

The monumental mason made a spelling error in the word "memory".

Eva died aged 100.

James Smith was a Tobacco Manufacturer - as was his son Thomas.

John Ball died on active service and was "interred within the British lines"

"How numerous are the mouldering dead" is an unusual first line to a poem.

Montague Noel "perished at sea in the course of convoy duty".

The Katyn Memorial - Cannock Chase, Staffordshire

The Katyn Memorial
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The Katyn massacre was a series of mass executions of Polish nationals carried out by the NKVD ("People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs", a Soviet secret police organisation) in April and May 1940. Though the killings took place at several different locations, the massacre is named after the Katyn Forest, where some of the mass graves were first discovered. The number of victims is estimated at about 25,000.

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All Saints, Bednall, Staffordshire

All Saints, Bednall, Staffordshire
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German Military Cemetery, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire

German Military Cemetery, Cannock Chase, Staffordshire
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The section reserved for Zeppelin Crew

Each of the four crews have their own memorial.

St James, Acton Trussel, Staffordshire

St James, Acton Trussel, Staffordshire
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The village church was originally built in 1212. It was then enlarged and rebuilt in 1869 under the direction of G E Street, the architect being Andrew Capper. The main additions were a combined vestry and organ chamber on the north side and a new south porch. The church was re-opened after restoration in 1870 having been closed for 44 years.

"five other children .... who died in their infancy"

St Leonard, Dunston, Staffordshire

St Leonard, Dunston, Staffordshire
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The village church of St. Leonard's is medium sized, of Neo-Gothic style and was designed by architect Andrew Capper. Between 1876 and 1878 the old chapel was finally demolished and a new church erected on the same site. It is a stone building in 14th century style and consists of nave, chancel, transepts, vestry, and a spired west tower. In 1887, a new churchyard, given by the family of a former parishioner, was consecrated, previous burials having been carried out at Penkridge. In 1907, the vestry was added and a new organ installed.

David had two wives - "Both a joy to be with."

St John, Stretton, Staffordshire

St John, Stretton, Staffordshire
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The chancel is 12th century. The nave and transepts were rebuilt in 1860 to designs by the architect Edward Banks.

The mason got it very badly wrong.

"... six of their children who died in their infancy."

All Saints, Lapley, Staffordshire

All Saints, Lapley, Staffordshire
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The church probably dates from the late 11th or early 12th century. The nave and chancel are clearly Norman as is the lower part of the tower but the upper portions appear to be 15th century.

The monumental mason must have engraved the

forename of the deceased incorrectly.

A charming poem from a wife to her widower husband

Lapley Graveyard, Lapley, Staffordshire

Lapley Graveyard, Lapley, Staffordshire
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A general view

"Twice wed. Twice Loved"

Aged 102

"Just 40 years" seems clumsy - what about

"Just 40 years old" or "Just 40"?

Jack Waldron was an "adopted Kenyan".

St James, Cardington, Shropshire

St James, Cardington, Shropshire
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The presence of a church on the site is recorded in the Domesday Book. The village, including its church, was given in 1167 to the Knights Templar, and remained in their possession until 1308. They were responsible for starting the building of the present church in the later part of the 12th century. During the following century the chancel was rebuilt and extended, and the tower was added. Further additions and alterations were made during the following three centuries, followed by the porch in 1639. Restoration was carried out between 1852–68, which included removal of the gallery.

The tomb of Judge Leighton (d 1607) shows his 3 sons and 5 daughters - one of whom died in infancy.

We love these old fashioned boards that mention benefactors of the church.