The Gravestone Photographic Resource project is an attempt to provide a much needed on-line resource for family historians as well as making a photographic record of as many grave monuments as possible.
The project is important because over time more and more grave monuments are being lost through neglect and vandalism. An extreme example is what has happened to a rural Suffolk churchyard photographed by the resource in 2005 and by 2010 it no longer exists:
Back on the 2nd April 2010 you emailed me details of the gravestone of James Bolderstone interred at St Andrews Church, Stratford St Andrew Suffolk. Subsequently we went to Suffolk on a quest to find the spots where the family may have lived. I am wondering if you can tell me when your photo was taken of the memorial as the church has been sold and most of the gravestones have been placed in a new position and it would seem that most have been placed face down.
The initial project aim was to place online details of all UK gravestones or monuments that are currently legible for people born before 1901. However this restiction is not at all rigid and there are now many monuments on the site of people born in the twentith century. Indeed, grave monuments from the mid twentieth century (1930 - 1970) are the most popular photos requested. Thus volunteers are now encouraged take photos of all legible monuments but if time is limited then to just concentrate on the older ones.
Besides English graves, the project has now been extended to cover other countries and now includes grave monuments from:
Running free of charge for 26 years!