NHER 69146 (Monument record) - Churchyard of St Peter's Church, Upwell

Churchyard of St Peter's Church, Upwell (NHER 4225). Previously recorded under NHER 4225.

The south-east corner of the graveyard former held a Quaker meeting and burial ground.
Information from record card (S1).
P. Watkins (HES), 13 May 2025.

October 1983. War memorial in churchyard listed, Grade II.
Listing Description excerpt:
"War memorial, c.1920. White marble cross on tapering octagonal column with octagonal base and stepped plinth."
Information from (S2).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S2) for the current listing details.
For further details see also War Memorials Online (S3) and the War Memorials Register (S4).
P. Watkins (HES), 13 May 2025.

July 1986. Fifty-eight memorials listed, Grade II.
Listing Description excepts:

'Two Memorials Immediately South of Memorial to Martha Southwold' [List Entry 1077672]:
"Two headstones. Mid 18th century. Limestone. Rectangular with square or segmental tops. Cherub heads carved above square inscription panels."

'Memorial 3m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1077709]:
"Headstone, c.1700. Limestone. Square with top composed of opposing scrolls meeting at winged cherub head. Stylised swag drops to recessed bowed inscription panel."

'Memorial 4m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1077710]:
"Headstone. Early 18th century. Limestone. Square with inscription panel of irregular shape defined by looping folds of drapery dropping from knotted centre. Trumpet blowing cherubs fill upper interstices."

'Memorial to Ann Hines 1m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1077711]:
"Headstone. 1769. Limestone. Rectangular with coved set-back top. Pair of Ionic columns support entablature and frame recessed inscription panel, the panel with egg and tongue border. Above entablature is carved cherub head."

'Three Memorials 1m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1077712]:
"Three headstones. Mid to late 18th century. Limestone. Rectangular with set-back tops and square inscription panels. In heads of memorials are carved cherubs or Greek urns."

'Three Memorials 5m South of Chancel of Church of St Peter [List Entry 1077713]:
"Row of three headstones. Mid 18th century. Limestone. Rectangular with coved set-back tops. Corinthian or Ionic columns support entablature and flank bowed circular inscription panels. In heads are carved groups of cherubs."

'Memorial to Martha Southwold 3m North of Chancel of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1077714]:
"Headstone. 1738. Limestone. Rectangular with coved set-back top. Pair of Ionic columns support moulded entablature and flank bowed circular inscription panel, in the spandrels are foliage. Above entablature a high relief figure of a naked woman with long hair reclining in a sinking boat."

'Five Memorials 6m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1171684]:
"Row of five headstones. Mid 18th century. Limestone. All with coved set-back or segmental tops and varying shapes of inscription panels. Above panels are relief carvings of figures or cherubs."

'Two Memorials 12m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1171690]:
"Two headstones. 1763 and 1722. Limestone. Rectangular with coved set-back tops. Pair of Ionic columns support entablature and contain bowed circular inscription panels. Above entablatures are relief carvings of cherub or reclining figure."

'Memorial to Ian Wilkinson 5m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1171696]:
"Headstone. 1760. Limestone. Rectangular-with coved set-back top. Pair of Ionic columns support entablature and flank inscription panel with segmental head. In spandrels a crown above pair of trumpets. In head of memorial a carved cherub blows on trumpet while flying through cloudy skyscape."

'Seven Memorials 5m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1171704]:
"Seven headstones in a row. Mid to late 18th century. Limestone. Rectangular with coved set-back tops. Square or circular inscription panels framed by columns or pilasters. Head of stone with carved relief cherubs."

'Memorial 12m North of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1171753]:
"Headstone. Mid 18th century. Limestone. Rectangular. Fluted Doric pilasters support moulded entablature and frame square inscription panel. Above pilasters stand two urns and in centre two cherub heads below cornice."

'Seven Memorials 5m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1305462]:
"Row of seven headstones. Mid 18th. Limestone. Rectangular with coved set-back tops, often with columns supporting moulded architrave and framing inscription panels. Carved relief figures in heads of memorials, usually depicting cherubs."

'Six Memorials 5m South of Chancel of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1305473]:
"Group of six headstones. Mid 18th century. Limestone. Rectangular with either segmental or set-back tops. Inscription panels rectangular below relief carvings of cherub heads within foliage ground."

'Five Memorials 8m South of Chancel of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1305476]:
"Row of five headstones. Mid 18th century. Limestone. All rectangular with set-back tops with square or circular inscription panels. Above inscription panels are curving bands of relief carving depicting cherubs disporting among foliage and floral swags."

'Memorial 10m South-West of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1305517]:
"Headstone. 1698. Limestone. Square with recessed inscription panel within roll moulded border. Inscription largely illegible."

'Two Memorials 5m South of Nave of Church of St. Peter' [List Entry 1342360]:
"Two headstones. Mid 18th century. Limestone. Rectangular with coved set-back and segmental tops and relief carving above inscription panels."

'Two Memorials 1m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1342361]:
"Two headstones. Early 18th century. Limestone. Of rectangular or set-back design in composition of drapery folds."

'Seven Memorials 5m South of Nave of Church of St Peter' [List Entry 1342362]:
"Row of seven headstones. Late 18th to early 19th century. Limestone. All are rectangular with coved set-back tops and circular or square inscription panels. Above panels are relief carvings of cherub heads in foliage borders."

Information from (S5). Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S5) for the current listing details.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 May 2025.

May 1998. Field Observation.
Visit by D. Gurney (NLA) following report of "…small area of Roman pavement…" within churchyard [1].
It is set in the path near the west door and consists of a patch of reset tessellated pavement with opus signinum-like mortar. Next to it is an inscribed stone, probably a worn sundial.
Compiled by D. Gurney (NLA), 29 May 1998. Details from (S6).
Previously noted under NHER 4225.
P. Watkins (HES), 13 May 2025.

May-June 2024. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of drainage works.
Two soakaways were excavated, one to the north of the church at TF 5058 0279 and one to the south at TF 5058 0275. The former encountered an articulated human burial at a depth of 1.20m. The age of the surrounding gravestones and the presence of decayed coffin material suggest this internment was of probable 18th- or 19th-century date. Two grave cuts were seen at a similar depth within the soakaway to the south of the church, although no human remains were exposed. This soakaway had to be relocated due to the presence of a cholera grave marker associated with an 1832 outbreak. In both soakaways a single homogenous cemetery soil was exposed. This contained fragments of disarticulated human bone, along with fragments of pottery, brick and clay tobacco pipe (none of which was retained). The articulated human remains disturbed during the works were lifted and stored at the church for later reburial.
See report (S7) for further details.
P. Watkins (HES), 14 May 2025.