FT259

In the heart of Yorkshire lies a grave different from any other in England. Guarded by heavy iron bars in the grounds of a private residence in the old parish of Dewsbury and hidden within the shadows of ancient woodland, it stands forlorn and dilapidated after centuries of exposure to the elements.

According to 18th-century folklore, the slab that covered the grave, already severely damaged by that time, poss­essed magical powers; passers-by would take away pieces of the stone as a cure for ailments, depleting what remained of the outer shell. While the site itself might be of interest to the archæologist, for the historian the grave presents a different challenge.