Whitehill Aisle – forgotten gem

The sun was shining as I walked along the newly-mown lane to the old cemetery. To my surprise, the whole area had been mown, exposing the splendid C18 headstones that survive. The Ramsay Vault is built from stones of the old church, most of which were removed to build the new church, in the village. The inscription on the vault reads: “This building…is erected on the site of the chancel of the old church of Kerington consecrated by David de Bernham, bishop of St Andrews on 2nd May 1243 and used for public worship until the construction of the present church in 1711.” Interestingly, the headstones are all later in date. Local people clearly felt attached to the old site. Surely, it’s time for a proper gravestone survey.

18th century monuments