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Headstones of famous people can be found in graveyards and cemeteries around the world, and many of them contain inscriptions written by the deceased. These epitaphs, far from being depressing, often make interesting reading.

Take, for example, the headstone of William Shakespeare, which reads: “Good friend, for Jesus’ sake forbear, To dig the dust enclosed here, Blessed be the man that spares these stones, And cursed be he that moves my bones”.

The reasoning behind this inscription is that he lived in fear of his body being dug up or moved after his death. Fortunately, Shakespeare’s grave, which is in the Holy Trinity Church in the English town of Stratford has remained, as he desired, untouched.

John Keats’s headstone, which is at Protestant Cemetery in Rome, is adorned with the design of a lyre with broken strings, which was added by Keats’s friends Joseph Severn and Charles Brown, and contains no mention of his name. He wanted only the following inscription: “Here lies one whose name was writ in water”.

Severn and Brown later added: “This grave contains all that was mortal of a young English poet who on his death bed in the bitterness of his heart at the malicious power of his enemies desired these words to be engraven on his tomb stone”.

The location of Robin Hood’s grave is at a priory in Kirklees in England has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. Unfortunately, it is not actually where he was buried! The grave has been moved at least three times.

The original headstone disappeared some time after 1660. A reproduction was made, but this was chipped to pieces by 18th-century canal workers who were convinced that a little bit of Robin Hood’s headstone would cure toothache.

With some research, you will no doubt find that there are a few headstones in cemeteries near you that belong to famous people from yesteryear. Whilst it might not make a great hobby per se, spending a day visiting some of these makes for an interesting and cheap day out.

Alternatively, you can just use Google images, where you will find plenty of pictures of headstones belonging to famous people. Learning what your deceased heroes decided to leave as their final parting message can really add something to way that you think about them.
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To celebrate the launch of their new website, Granite Memorials are running a competition to find the most interesting and witty inscription on a famous personality’s headstone. Send your photos, explaining where and when you took them and why you feel it should rank in the Headstones Hall of Fame, for more info please visit http://www.granite-memorials.co.uk