But I believe that it was a final message from him to his family that he left behind and that this thoughts were of hope. An acorn is the seed of the oak and so is a symbol of potential.Įdwin had an untimely death and we don’t know if he, his family or members of the Cricket Club chose the symbols.
There is the old saying ‘ Mighty oaks from little acorns do grow’ and this may be a reference to Edwin’s children and his hopes they would go onto do great things. Close-up of the acorn featured on the Fitch headstone.Īn acorn is also depicted on the headstone which emphasises immortality and fertility. According to it is believed to have been the tree from which Christ’s cross was made. The oak leaves underneath the quiver and bow are an ancient symbol of strength and the oak was known as the tree of life in pre-Christian times. I interpret this to mean that a man’s children will continue his family line and achieve their place in the world. In Psalms 127:3-5 children are described as being: There is also a Biblical link with children. There are also the famous lines in William Blake’s poem, ‘Jerusalem’: Indeed, he is traditionally portrayed holding a bow with an arrow ready to aim and fire. The other most obvious interpretation is of Cupid shooting his arrows of love straight to a lover’ s heart. For, although a cricket field can occasionally turn into a polite and gentlemanly battlefield, I was sure that there were softer connotations to the bow and quiver. The epitaph to Edwin Fitch in Staplehurst churchyard.īut, as with most symbols, there are other meanings and I am indebted to theartofmourning blog for reminding me of these. There is also another inscription above it that states that the stone was erected as a mark of respect by the Staplehurst Cricket Club. The epitaph goes on to state that Edwin left behind a widow and two children Marianne and Walter William. The headstone is dedicated to Edwin Fitch who died at the fairly young age of 43 on 22 January 1869.
The bow and arrows are a symbol that has been known for centuries and since the earliest times has been associated with hunting and survival. I then discovered this headstone with a combination of two symbols on it.Īt first glance you might be forgiven for thinking that this is the grave of a warrior or someone involved in warfare as the combination is formed from a bow, a quiver of arrows and a circlet of oak leaves.
After exploring the newer part of the churchyard and seeing ‘nature’s lawnmowers’ aka sheep in the field behind I returned to the older section. This was ‘The Choice’ which I found in the older part of the churchyard. I have already discussed one of the symbols that I found in there which featured in a an earlier Symbol of the Month. All Saints churchyard in Staplehurst is one of those as it looks down over the village from its hilltop perch. Note the acorn.Ī country churchyard on a warm, sunny May day can be a peaceful and interesting place to explore. Another common variant is armchair traveller, meaning someone who travels in their imagination only.A closer view of the two symbols – the bow and quiver of arrows and the oak leaves. In 1886 Joseph Chamberlain sneered at opponents as armchair politicians. The phrase armchair critic is first recorded in 1896, but the concept was around at least a decade earlier The police seen as a far-reaching or intimidating powerĪttempt to force or coerce someone to do something - North American informalġ994 - Asian Times - A lack of checks and balances or legal redress for workers have trade unions up in arms.Īn armchair critic = armchair traveller = armchair politicianĪ person who knows about a subject only by reading or hearing about it and criticizes without active experience or first-hand knowledge The long arm of the law = The strong arm of the law Keep someone at arm's length = Keep something at arm's lengthĪvoid intimacy or close contact with someone or something The ark referred to is the biblical Noah's ark (Genesis 6-7) in which Noah endeavoured to save his family and two of every kind of animal from the Flood.
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