The tools of the trade refer to those used by the church sexton in his duties of maintaining the local churchyard. The word ‘sexton’ is derived from the Latin word ‘sepeliarus’ which roughly translates as ‘the custodian of sacred objects’. He or she is an officer of the church, a member of the congregation and is also in charge of conserving the church buildings.

The sexton’s tools can include:·

•  A spade or shovel·
• A turf cutter which is recognisable by its triangular blade·
• A pickaxe

On headstones, these can often be depicted either on their own or crossed and are reminders of mortality as they are connected with the dead. I used to think that they only appeared on the headstones or memorials of gravediggers but this hasn’t proved to be the case.  Instead they appear to be a form of memento mori and a reminder of the viewer’s ultimate destination. However, there are variations as in this one on the headstone of Ann Baker in the churchyard of St Nicholas, Sevenoaks.  In this combination of symbols, a coffin takes centre stage as it appears to either be rising ominously out of the ground or is being deposited into it.

The epitaph states that she was the wife of Stephen Baker and there is a headstone with that name on it nearby.  There is a nicely carved skull on it and I wondered if, as Ann’s symbols are larger and  appear to be professionally carved, that perhaps the family had gone up in the world.

This fine example comes from St Peter’s, Falstone, Northumberland and displays several key mortality motifs. These are: a spade or shovel, a book, perhaps the Bible or a prayer book, a skull and crossbones and a winged angel at the top.

The photo below shows a skull with a tool amongst other motifs and comes from the churchyard of Rochester Cathedral in Kent.

I have found two other magnificent examples online in Edinburgh and Northumberland churchyards 

However, sextons have another claim to fame as they also appear in literature and plays. For example, in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act V, Scene 1,  the two gravediggers who are digging Ophelia’s grave debate whether she should have a Christian burial as she is a suicide.  Later in the same scene,  a sexton unearths Yorick’s skull giving rise to one of Hamlet’s most famous lines:

‘Alas, poor Yorick, I knew him well.’

Several famous rock singers have worked as grave diggers including Joe Strummer, Dave Vanian of the Damned and Tom Petty .   However, apparently the claim that Rod Stewart was one is only an urban myth.

Charles Dicken featured a sexton, Gabriel Grub, in a ghost story that appeared in The Pickwick Papers called ‘The Goblin and the Sexton’.  Gabriel is not a happy man. On Christmas Eve, he walks along Coffin Lane to the churchyard to finish digging a grave which is to be used the next day.  Along the way he takes out his ill temper on a boy singing a Christmas carol and then meets the Goblin sitting cross legged on a headstone.  This Christmas night will change Gabriel’s life forever.  According to the Victorian web this story was Dickens’ version of Rip Van Winkle and is an example of ‘a curmudgeon chastised.’

It seems appropriate that sexton’s tools should feature so prominently in some churchyards. After all, he or she is the last person to take care of your remains after death; whether you are buried or your ashes are deposited in the graveyard and also the preservation of your memorial if you have one.

©Text and photos Carole Tyrrell unless otherwise indicated

References

http://headstonesymbols.co.uk/ngg_tag/sexton-tools/

Memento Mori: symbols of death in St Cuthbert’s Kirkyard, Edinburgh

Symbolism on monuments

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravedigger

http://www.victorianweb.org/art/illustration/phiz/pickwick/24.html

https://familychristmasonline.com/stories_other/dickens/gabriel_grub.htm

Ceramic model of a cat on Doorkins grave, Southwark Cathedral churchyard. ©Carole Tyrrell

In 2008, a small stray tabby cat sneaked into Southwark Cathedral by the south west door.  It was cheek by jowl to her usual territory which was the bustling Borough market.  The Cathedral’s vergers made her welcome by feeding her and she started to get her paws under the welcome table.  The feeding began to be a daily habit and, encouraged, the small feline began to trust them and visited more frequently.  Until eventually she had a name – Doorkins Magnificat.  It is thought that Doorkins was a pun on Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist and atheist, and Magnificat came from the Song of Mary that the clergy sang everyday.

Doorkins Magnificat ©Bridget Davey Outdoor Revival.com

Doorkins life changed for the better as she became popular with the Cathedral’s visitors, congregation and staff. However, she never entirely became a friendly cat and a reproving paw swipe soon established who was boss.  As with other Cathedral cats, visits became a game of ‘Spot the cat’ or in Southwark’s case, ‘Spot the Doorkins.’ Would she be seen nonchalantly strolling in front of the altar during a service or indulging in a strenuous and thorough bout of washing herself, stretched out over a radiator grille or creating a new Christmas tradition by bedding down in the Nativity crib straw over the festive period?    

In 2017, she had her own picture book which featured a tour of the Cathedral and a typical week in her life as Mousecatcher in Chief.    A more permanent memorial and tribute was created in 2018 with a  gargoyle in her image holding a fish in its mouth on the North Wall.  On a visit by HM The Queen to celebrate the installation of a window in honour of her Jubilee, Doorkins seemed unaware of the honour. It was rumoured that she may have sleepily opened an eye before returning back to the land of Nod again. The Queen is reputed to have asked ‘Does this cat live here?’ as Doorkins missed her opportunity for a photocall.

Doorkins Magnificat and gargoyle. I couldn’t find a credit for this but happy to do so.

Doorkins Magnificat gargoyle in situ North wall, Southwark Cathedral. I couldn’t find a credit but happy to do so.

But, despite landing on her paws, Doorkins was still on active service out and about on Southwark’s streets until the 2017 London terrorist attacks. The Cathedral was locked down for a few days and she was shut out. Once it reopened, she ran inside and didn’t leave her sanctuary again.

However, old age caught up with Doorkins and her health began to fail. Kidney problems, increasing deafness and, ultimately blindness, meant that she could longer safely do her rounds in the huge Cathedral.  So, she retired to the countryside and the home of the head verger, Paul Timms, where she died in his arms on 30 September 2020 ‘to the sound of a familiar voice.’

A Service of Thanksgiving was held for Doorkins on 28 October 2020 which was livestreamed worldwide.  It could be asked ‘why do this for a stray cat in the middle of a pandemic in which thousands died?’ But I watched it and it was a poignant experience to see the small wooden box containing her remains being presented to Andrew Nunn, the Dean of Southwark.  I feel that events like these gave people a focus in order to grieve especially at a time like that. In an earlier post I wrote about a lady who had adopted a monument in West Norwood Cemetery in order to have somewhere to place flowers and mourn a dear friend.  The service for Doorkins was very moving especially when the Dean told the congregation and the online audience that:

‘In more normal times, we often host memorial services for the great and the good. But I don’t think there’s ever been a service for a cat.’

But not everyone approved and in some quarters it was considered controversial. For example, the Bishop of Burnley thundered:

‘Is this a joke?’ he tweeted, ‘I do hope so. If not it’s grossly insensitive to bereaved families and those ministering to them in the new world under the coronavirus restrictions’

But the decision to hold the memorial service had been supported by the congregation and the Dean replied that:

‘she (Doorkins) did more to bring people to this place than I will ever do.’

It was Paul Timms who carried the little wooden casket to the peaceful spot in the churchyard that had been chosen for her. A place of calm keeping the bustling world outside.

This month I was on a flying visit to London and was near London Bridge to attend an exhibition. I had always meant to make a sort of pilgrimage to find her resting place and now was the time to do it.  After negotiating Borough Market I entered the Cathedral and churchyard and saw the ceramic sleeping cat with its painted sign above. I stood for few moments as the sun shone down on Doorkins and felt that I’d seen a true Londoner’s memorial.  Inside the Cathedral I lit a candle in her memory and honour and looked for her successor, Hodge, but to no avail. Another visit perhaps….

RIP Doorkins Magnificat 2003 -2020 ©Carole Tyrrell

©Text and photos Carole Tyrrell unless otherwise stated.

References and further reading

Meet Doorkins Magnificat the cathedral cat – BBC News

Doorkins Magnificat RIP (muchloved.com)

Service of Thanksgiving: Southwark Cathedral (anglican.org)

Chief Mouse Catcher at Southwark Cathedral, Doorkins Magnificat Laid to Rest (outdoorrevival.com)

Much loved Southwark Cathedral cat Doorkins Magnificat laid to rest | London | The Guardian

Southwark Cathedral’s resident cat gets her own gargoyle | London Evening Standard | Evening Standard

An Introduction to Cemetery Symbols guided tour

A guided tour led by me! So if you’re in London and want to know more about cemetery symbols then come along!

Date and time: Sat, 11 May 2024, 14:00

Leaving from: Information Centre (Old Brompton Road entrance)
Duration: approx. 1 hour 30 minutes
Tickets are £10 per person (plus £1.50 booking fee if booked on Eventbrite (refundable up to 1 day before event but Eventbrite’s fee is non-refundable.

Introduction to Cemetery Symbols Tickets, Sat 11 May 2024 at 14:00 | Eventbrite

The lost language of death is all around us in Brompton Cemetery in the symbols on headstones and monuments. But have you ever wondered if they have meaning and what it might be?

This is a subject that has always fascinated Carole Tyrrell and in this tour she will introduce you to many of the symbols that can be seen in Brompton cemetery and discuss their meanings. From Celtic crosses to Egyptian gods and updated 18th century memento mori, there’s plenty to see.

Carole Tyrrell has her own blog which features ‘Symbol of the Month’ at http://shadowsflyaway.blog and is currently researching and writing a book on cemetery symbols.