Mystery solved! Archaeologist traces Rufford’s lost tombstone
The ornate tombstone of Robert de Markham dating from 1399 was once set into the floor of Rufford’s long lost chapel and can be seen in old photos of the Abbey pre 1938. But where it went after the demolition of the Abbey Chapel in the 1950s has been a mystery - until now.
Buildings archaeologist Peter Ryder came across the slab whilst researching for the Southwell and Nottingham Church History Project, being led by Professors John Beckett and Christopher Brooke from the University of Nottingham, and making a survey of medieval cross slab gravecovers across the county.
The slab is currently stored in one of English Heritage’s National Collection Stores at Wrest Park where it is looked after in environmentally controlled conditions, and is one of 153,000 items of stone and archaeological finds in the collection, which is open to researchers and pre-booked guided tours, visit www.english-heritage.org.uk and search for ‘Wrest Park’.
English Heritage’s collections team say it had been stored with significant pieces of stone from Bolsover, so the team initially assumed it was from Bolsover, knew it was not quite right but could not confirm its source until Peter’s research made the connection and he contacted Nottinghamshire County Council, which manages the country park, about his discovery.
It is unusual that one of the Abbey’s monks would have had such an elaborate gravestone, and staff of Rufford Abbey Country Park and the County Archaeology team are keen to find out more about it.
A fine stone grave slab belonging to a medieval monk at Rufford Abbey has been rediscovered - over 150 km away in Bedford.
Medieval News
McKee family outside JORVIK with Viking re-enactor, Arnor (Max O’Keeffe) – Photo courtesy York Archaeological Trust
Medieval tombstone - photo courtesy Nottinghamshire County Council