SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

Here is a reference to 15th century tombs in situ in Harewood:Harewood Church stands about half a mile west of the village, and is a venerable structure, dedicated to the Holy Cross (in olden time the Holy Rood), embowered on all sides by glorious woodland; seen from the park it forms a picture whose charm of contrast and holy sweetness would require the pencil of a Claude and the pen of a Ruskin to delineate. Graceful beech, whose umbrageous branches form a shady bower across the woodland path, “where joyous birds, hid “under greenwood shade, sing merry notes on every branch and bough.” Whilst the tower, appearing under a circle of sweeping trees, cannot fail to impress the beholder with its beauty and the loveliness of its surroundings.The present edifice dates from the 13th century. In the time of the 2nd Edward, the Scots penetrated into this neighbourhood, leaving ruin and devastation in their track. In this furious raid the churches of Harewood and Adel were greatly damaged. At the village of Pannal, the Scots encamped and burned the church to the ground. Of the original church, built soon after the Conquest, by William de Curci, nearly all traces have disappeared. The interior is most interesting to the antiquary, with its altar tombs of white marble, on which repose the recumbent effigies of former owners of Harewood.First Tomb—Sir Richard Redman and his wifeElizabeth.    Second Tomb—Sir William Rytber andSybil his wife. Third Tomb-—Sir John Neville and hiswife, 1482. Fourth Tomb, under the south arch—Sir Richard Franks and his wife, of Alwoodly Hall. FifthTomb—Sir Richard Redman and his wife Elizabeth,Grandson of Sir Richard, whose tomb is numbered1. Sixth Tomb—Sir William Gascoigne and his wife Elizabeth, of Gawthorpe Hall, the immortal Lord Chief Justice of England, in 1419.Besides there are many other mural tablets, old grave-stones, &c., including anelegant monument to Sir Thomas Dennison, and the Harewood vault.

I have seen references to gravestones only really coming in after the reformation so given Wikipedia says that 1648 you did really well there.Defintely around 1620s (incidentally if anyone's in Bradfield the stone in question and a few almost as old is about halfway along the path between the gate and the church door).1648 was the END of the Reformation so depending how the wikipedia entry is read "after the Reformation" could mean after the START of the Reformation which gives us another couple of centuries to play with in certain areas of Europe anyway. And even in England Henry VIII was bringing it on in the mid-16th century...    

Well i wouldn't rely on Wikipedia as a source of knowledge given that it can be edited by anyone.We have both roman,saxon,viking and celtic tombstones known in the UK so whoever write this didn't do much research or else meant the traditional style of tombstone and was still wrong<G>.

If anyone is looking for very old graves they would be very interested in taking a walk round Becket Street cemetery opposite St James hospital , particular on a nice crisp sunny day ,i have seen graves in there going back to 1500s ,and if your lucky you might see a very large owl good hunting .

I thought it didn't open until the 1850's? Was there something there before?

Cardiarms wrote: I thought it didn't open until the 1850's? Was there something there before? 1849 I think Cardie - graves back to 15th cent., more in your neck of the woods at Harewood Sticks.

Kirkstall Abbey was founded in 1152 so some of the monks must be buried around the Abbey somewhere. These must be some of the oldest if found.    

There are some stone age house circles in the woods near Iveson House, bound to be a grave somewhere in the vicinity.

Cardiarms wrote: I thought it didn't open until the 1850's? Was there something there before? I presume there was nothing prior to 1850.

there is a tomb stone in St Mary's In The Wood Churchyard in Morley dated 1689, see link below for image.http://www.flickr.com/photos/dervish99/ ... 7900301810