Cemetery death heads are found in many cemeteries and graveyards on headstones, tombs and mausoleums.

Older headstones feature a skull and crossbones whereas modern headstones feature a head or face with wings or a winged cherub.

The Puritans of the 16th and 17th century had strong religious views following the Reformation in England. The Puritan belief was that only a select few could reach heaven and the remaining were doomed to be born, live, die and then rot.

The churches were becoming full as the belief at that time was that only those buried nearest to the alter would make it to Heaven. Eventually, the dead began to be buried outside of the church walls, which led to tombstones and artistic expression.

Tombstones in the 16th century usually displayed the deceased’s name, date of birth and date of death and either a skull, skull and crossbones or a skull gnawing on a femur. Usually the words ‘Here lies the body of‘ were placed before the name.

The vision of the skull and the word ‘body’ summed up the expression that we are born to live, die and rot.

During the 17th century, the Puritans were losing their grip on society and attitudes were changing. People now believed in the possibility that there was life after death and the possibility that one could reach Heaven.

Tombstones now depicted skulls with wings to soften the look. They conveyed the message that life was fleeting.

From here we see the skull evolve into a solemn face, which would now also be known as a ‘soul effigy‘. The words also softened to read ‘Here lies the mortal remains of’. People’s attitudes now were that human beings had a soul.

Finally, with the creation of cemeteries during the mid-nineteenth century, the face was replaced with a cherubs face and phrases such as ‘Sacred to‘, ‘Memory of‘ or ‘Gone but not forgotten‘ were used.

Skull and Crossbones image was taken at St Elphin’s Parish Church Warrington.

Cherubs head with wings was taken at Manchester Road Cemetery in Warrington