top of page

Mystery Memorial???

Against the south side of Bayton Church is a curious memorial tombstone. You notice it as you walk up the path just before you reach the porch.

doc00982920181126211712_001.jpg

The inscription is roughly incised, not professionally engraved and there is no name, merely the initials T.M. and the 3rd of September 1654.

The Latin is not strictly grammatical; there are spelling mistakes and as you can see the "Ns" are back-to-front. It reads:

SANCTUS SI (SIS?) VIVENS MORIENS SI SANCTUS IN QUUM (UNQUAM?) SANCTUS CUM SANCTIS QUUM MORIERIS ERIS ABIIT NON OBIIT THE 111 OF SEPTEMBER

                                         TM  1654

A liberal translation : "Be righteous living and dying. If (you are) always righteous you will be among the righteous when you die. He departed, not died, September 3rd.

 

​

It possibly was originally the flat lid or top of a tomb or memorial. And who was TM?

​

If you know the origin or history of this memorial or who set it up then please let us know.

bottom of page