Talk:Ledger stone

Incorrect definition

I disagree with the definition of "ledgerstone" given in this article. Ledgerstones are not the tops of table tombs nor are they incised slabs. They are defined very clearly on the Ledgerstone Survey website:

"Ledgerstones are the flat stones placed over a grave inside a church, usually incised with the name and dates of the deceased. They are often decorated with heraldry and many include interesting inscriptions about the person, their family and their life in the local community. Over 250,000 survive, mainly in parish churches, and most date from the late seventeenth to the late eighteenth centuries. The stones used are often from a local or regional source and the carving of the letters and any decoration is of high quality and a readily visible demonstration of the letter cutter’s art. A family group of ledgerstones may well be their only visible memorial, if their house has disappeared."

The example at Ilminster (which was the very first picture when this article was created) is a monument or altar tomb with a monumental brass on the top of the chest and would never be described as a ledgerstone. Likewise, the example at Melton Mowbray would be described as an incised slab, not a ledgerstone. Again, the example at Buslingthorpe is a coffin lid with a monumental brass let into it and would not be described as a ledgerstone (the description in Pevsner is quite clear: "Brass ... a demi-figure on a coffin-lid of stone with a Lombardic inscription." - page 202 of "The Buildings of England: Lincolnshire").

I think this entry needs a serious re-write as it is not using the correct terminology. C B Newham (talk) 11:45, 8 August 2025 (UTC)

If there are no objections in the next month I will re-write this article. C B Newham (talk) 19:27, 8 August 2025 (UTC)

Material other than stone

What about metal ledger stone (bronze or brass)? Pko (talk) 10:28, 7 September 2025 (UTC)