The Church of England has thrown its support behind a project aimed at conserving thousands of 'table top' tombs, particularly those in the Diocese of Gloucester.
The tombs are named for their design of a flat slab of stone supported by sides of upright legs. The tombs are sometimes highly ornate and were generally in vogue from the 17th to 19th centuries.
It is believed there are more than 4,000 such tombs in the Diocese of Gloucester alone, with thousands more scattered around the country. Gloucester has the highest concentration due in part to a relative abundance of good quality limestone.
The conservation project is a joint effort supported by the Church of England’s Cathedral and Church Buildings team, and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The project involves first assessing the conservation needs of the tombs before putting forward suggestions for national guidance on the care and maintenance of the tombs.
While much of the focus of the project will be in the Diocese of Gloucester, tombs in other churchyards, such as St James the Great, Fulbrook in the Diocese of Oxford, will also be part of the effort.
Adam Klups, Care of Churches and Diocesan Advisory Committee Team Leader at the Diocese of Gloucester, said, “Parochial Church Councils and other stakeholders responsible for the maintenance of our churchyards often struggle to find the resources to support the conservation of these tombs although they form a key part of our social history and are works of art in themselves.
“This project aims to document local collections of table top tombs, identify conservation needs, and promote awareness of this unique art form, with a view to drawing up national guidance and providing a training opportunity for the next generation of conservators.”
The plan will also be used as an opportunity for conservation students to gain fieldwork experience.
Tracy Manning, Senior Conservation Officer for the Cathedral and Church Buildings Department of the Church of England, said, “It can be difficult for students to access hands-on fieldwork experience, and one of the most exciting things for us about the project is that it has enabled conservation students to learn from an expert practitioner, Graham O’Hare, about these unique objects that were made for, and belong in, a rural parish church setting.
“Sparking the interest of a new generation of conservators in the wonders of working in our churches is one of our primary aims and we are grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for enabling the project.”
