Thoughts

This comment by email arrived yesterday, and it shows the 'power' of the internet, to draw close linking evidence from across the sea, I loved the little poem that Daniel Gumb  has as an epitaph on his grave, and would dearly loved to have more paperwork from this obviously intelligent man, living in his cave house under the Cheesewring Tor.  The problem with delving into history is that you can only go so far, but hopefully one day we will visit the Linkinhorne church.

It has made me realise that I need to gather together some of the many things I have written about over the years, the Cope family of Avebury comes to mind, again a poem written by an American visitor in the 19th century brought this to mind, as does at the moment the 18th century Iolo Morgannwyg,  'Druid' of Wales, and John Wood, the architect of Georgian Bath, who built his houses on fanciful notions of the Druidical nature of the great stone circles of Stanton Drew and Stonehenge.  I often refer to stories people make up for themselves, these stories live on in poetry, music and art.  They are gifts of the imagination and colour the world around us....

"Very interesting post about my direct relative, Daniel. He must have been a fascinating man and I've always wonder what he could have achieved had he been born into a family with wealth, he could have been a great man but he still has a very fascinating legacy none the less! Most of his descendants that I've been in contact with through my family history research have ended up in Australia rather than America. For my own line I'm descended through his son John 1744, Daniel 1778 and Elizabeth 1812. Elizabeth married Samuel Doney and my line eventually moved to Durham in 1871, no doubt for the work available in the coal mines. I was born in Durham but, strangely enough, emigrated to America when I was 27! What I like most about Daniel was the wry sense of humour exhibited in his own self-carved epitaph at Linkinhorne church. I think it says a lot about him personally."

Here I lie by the churchyard door

Here I lie because I'm poor

The further in, the more you pay

But here lie I as warm as they.

Thanks to Brenda Butler on Wordpress for the above, and also for bringing to my attention the scattered nature of my 'Magpie Miscellany'