Anyone researching their family will know that tracing burials can be difficult but you may be lucky enough to find a monumental inscription. Gravestone inscriptions frequently supply useful background information for family historians. For example, they may supply links between one family and another when nieces, nephews, sisters, brothers and grandchildren share the same memorial. They may give a whole life story including places of birth, who married whom, the names of children, and finally the place of death and burial. If you are really lucky they may even tell you the cause of death.

In 1907 Arthur Weight Matthews of Luton began to record gravestone inscriptions and by 1916, when he left the County, he had filled 17 notebooks with transcripts.

Several gravestones tell sad but intriguing stories: the young lady who died "after a few hours of illness on her wedding morn"; the gentleman "killed by a stick of timber falling out of his own carriage"; not to mention the skilled painter, James Pickard of Leicestershire, who was killed when he fell from the dome of Lord Bute's House at Luton Park in 1787. However, drowning is the most common cause of death recorded in the Weight Matthews volumes. For example, William Prior of Bedford St Mary "left this life when bathing on Sunday the 14th August 1791. Is it just my imagination, or does the unusual mention of the day suggest a reproach about William's Sabbath day activities? If so, this makes the fate which befell brother and sister Thomas and Harriett Inskip and their friend Mrs Anderson seem even more unfortunate – they drowned in the river Ouse at Oakley in 1843 when returning from Stevington Church.

Specific diseases are rarely mentioned, but influenza, cholera, smallpox and typhoid all appear, and the weather was responsible for two deaths, one from lightning, the other from sunstroke. Several soldiers are reported as dying in South Africa at the time of the Boer war and , from an earlier generation, James Inkersole of Marston Moretaine lost an arm at Waterloo which caused his death on 17th August 1827! Railway and carriage accidents and, slightly more surprising in land-locked Bedfordshire, shipwrecks are mentioned. Cases of death in childbirth are as you would expect, comparatively common. The gravestone of Patience Johnson in St Paul's Churchyard, Bedford, stated: "Here lies interred the body of Patience ye wife of Shadrach Johnson, by her he had 12 sons and 12 daughters, She died in Childbed ye 6th Day of June Anno 1717 Aged 38 years". After his wife's death, Shadrach, innkeeper of the WHeatsheaf Inn, fathered eight more children by his maidservant, Sarah Boston, whom he finally married in Goldington in 1724. She died on 25 May 1736, Shadrach was buried 12 Nov 1741.
Monumental Inscriptions can be a very useful source for the genealogist, often including details of ages, family members and other biographical details. Several different groups have noted the inscriptions on gravestones in churchyards throughout the county and these are available in our searchroom, or we can copy or transcribe entries for you for our usual research fee if you cannot visit the office, see Our Enquiry and Research Service

AWM Arthur Weight Matthews, produced 1907-1916, indexed (photocopies of the volumes held by the Society of Genealogists), available in the searchroom at ref: MON1

LHC LH Chambers, produced 1917 - 1923, indexed, available in the searchroom at ref: MON2

FHS Family History Society; most are indexed, available in the searchroom pamphlet boxes under ref: MON4

Pl Women's Institute and County Planning; arranged alphabetically by surname and then in approximate date order, they are held as bound copies on the searchroom selves ref: 130/--- or MON4.

BMS Bedford Modern School; alphabetical lists by surname contain the relevant information but are not full transcripts.

OC Other contributors; styles vary see notes below.

Parish	Reference Number	Notes
AMPTHILL Churchyard	MON1/11 (AWM) Book 130AMP (OC)  MON4/1          P30/2/96	A-Z list covering up to 1970
AMPTHILLQuaker graveyard, Dunstable St	Book 130 AMP p37	A-Z list covering up to 1970
AMPTHILL Wesleyan burial ground, Woburn St	Book 130 AMP p38	A-Z list covering up to 1970
ARLESEY	MON1/8 (AWM)
ARLESEY	PCArlesey12/1	Gives a list of the memorials to be removed from the churchyard
ASPLEY GUISE Old churchyard	MON1/11 pp 48-70 (AWM) MON4/2
ASPLEY GUISE New churchyard	MON1/11 pp 71-82 (AWM) MON4/2 (Pl)
ASTWICK	MON4/3 (FHS)
BARFORD, GREAT	MON1/13 (AWM)
BARFORD, LITTLE	MON1/14 (AWM)
BARTON	MON1/1 (AWM)
BATTLESDEN	MON1/5 (AWM)
BEDFORD Holy Trinity	MON2/8 (LHC) P133/2/9c
BEDFORD St.Cuthbert	MON2/8 (LHC) MON1/16 (AWM)
BEDFORD St.John	MON2/5 (LHC) MON1/16 (AWM)
BEDFORD St. Leonard	MON4/4 (FHS)
BEDFORD St.Mary	MON2/1 (LHC) MON1/16 (AWM) X69/52	inside church
BEDFORD St.Paul	MON2/7 (LHC) MON1/16 (AWM)	oversized volume. Order as FAC192
BEDFORD St.Peter	MON2/2 (LHC)
BEDFORD Bunyan Meeting	MON2/7 (LHC)	oversized volume. Order as FAC192
BEDFORD Moravian Church	MON2/7 (LHC)	oversized volume. Order as FAC192
BEDFORD Howard Chapel	MON1/16 (AWM) MON2/10 (LHC)
BEDFORD Baptist Chapel Mill Street	MON2/10 (LHC)
BIDDENHAM	MON4/5 (FHS)
BIGGLESWADE Churchyard	MON1/14 (AWM) P14/2/4/3-6 MON4/5 (FHS)	incomplete
BIGGLESWADE Baptist Burial Ground	MON1/15 (AWM)
BILLINGTON	Mon4/7 (FHS)
BLETSOE	None
BLUNHAM	Book 130 BLU (Pl) MON1/9 (AWM)	Master copy Pl/AC 1/4
BOLNHURST	PL/AC/1/6	Churchyard Survey Women's Institute Record Cards and Final Lists
BROMHAM	MON1/17 (AWM)
CADDINGTON	MON1/1 (AWM)
CALDECOTE, UPPER Churchyard	MON4/79 (FHS)
CALDECOTE, LOWER Cemetery	MON4/80 (FHS)
CAMPTON	MON1/7 (AWM)
CARDINGTON Churchyard	MON1/10 (AWM) Book 130 CAR (Pl)
CARDINGTON Cemetery	MON4/9 (FHS)
CARDINGTON Cotton End Baptist Chapel	MON4/10
CARLTON Churchyard	MON4/11 (FHS)
CARLTON Baptist Chapel	MON4/12
CHALGRAVE	MON1/2 (AWM)    MON4/13
CHELLINGTON	MON2/12 (LHC)
CHICKSANDS	No churchyard
CLAPHAM	MON4/78 (FHS)
CLIFTON	MON1/7 (AWM)
CLOPHILL	MON1/6 (AWM) Book 130 CLO (Pl)	Master copy Pl/AC1/2
COLMWORTH	MON1/13 (AWM)  MON4/14 (OC)
COPLE	MON1/10 (AWM)
CRANFIELD Churchyard	MON4/15 (FHS)	Temporary A - Z list
CRANFIELD Independent Baptist	MON4/16 (FHS)
CRANFIELD Merchants Lane Burial Ground	MON4/17(FHS)
DEAN United Reformed Church	MON4/18 (FHS)
DUNSTABLE Churchyard	MON1/2 (AWM)
DUNSTABLE West Street Baptist	MON1/2 (AWM)
DUNSTABLE Old Baptist, St Mary's St	MON1/2 (AWM)
DUNSTABLE Wesleyan	MON1/2 (AWM)
DUNTON	MON1/15 (AWM)
EASTCOTTS	No churchyard
EATON BRAY	MON1/2 (AWM) P63/2/9/9
EATON SOCON	MON3/9 (OC) MON4/20 (OC)    MON4/21 (OC) P5/2/3/1
Eaton Socon Cemetery	MON4/22 (OC)
EDWORTH	MON4/23 (FHS)
EGGINGTON	MON4/24 (FHS)
ELSTOW	MON1/11 (AWM) MON4/25 (OC)	church interior only
EVERSHOLT	MON1/3 (AWM) Book 130 EVE (OC) P42/2/3/5	P42/2/3/5 copy 1996 survey
EVERTON	MON1/15 (AWM) Micf 138 (Hunts FHS)	updated version
EYEWORTH	MON1/15 (AWM)
FARNDISH	MON2/9 (LHC) X69/43	inside church only
FELMERSHAM Churchyard	MON2/3 (LHC) MON4/3 (OC)      P98/28/11	Copy of P98/28/11 updates LHC and provides plan
FELMERSHAM Radwell Methodist Chapel	MON2/3 (LHC)
FLITTON	MON1/6 (AWM)
FLITWICK	MON4/27 (OC)
GOLDINGTON	MON4/28 (FHS)
GRAVENHURST, UPPER	MON1/6 (AWM)
GRAVENHURST, LOWER	MON1/6 (AWM)
HARLINGTON	MON1/2 (AWM)
HARROLD	MON4/29	Draft of chapter of 'The Harrold Story' by John Waller
HATLEY, COCKAYNE	MON1/15 (AWM)
HAYNES	MON1/6 (AWM)
HEATH & REACH	MON4/30 (FHS)
HENLOW	MON1/8 (AWM)
HIGHAM GOBION	MON1/1 (AWM)
HOCKLIFFE	MON1/5 (AWM) P103/28/6
HOLWELL	MON1/8 (AWM)
HOUGHTON CONQUEST	MON1/11 (AWM)
HOUGHTON REGIS Churchyard	MON1/2 (AWM) MON3/1 (BMS)      MON4/3 (BMS)	copies also at P101/2/3/6-7 & X291/183
HOUGHTON REGIS Cemetery	MON4/32 (FHS)
HULCOTE	MON4/33 (FHS)
HUSBORNE CRAWLEY	MON4/3 (AWM)
HYDE, EAST	None
KEMPSTON	MON3/2(BMS)
KENSWORTH	P34/2/3/1 (OC) MON3/3 (OC) MON4/34	British Mission Index Partial transcript
KEYSOE Churchyard	MON2/6 (LHC)      MON4/37
KEYSOE Brook End Baptist burial ground	MON4/36 (FHS)
KEYSOE Baptist Chapel, Keysoe Row East	MON4/35
KNOTTING	MON2/12 (LHC)
LANGFORD	MON3/4	Removal of memorials 1988, plan & inscriptions
LEAGRAVE	No churchyard
LEIGHTON BUZZARD	MON1/4 (AWM) P91/2/1 Z532/1/4	inside church extracts
LIDLINGTON	MON2/4 (LHC)
LINSLADE	None
LIMBURY	None
LUTON St Mary's	MON1/1 (AWM)	transcript of MON1/1 available in same box (FHS)
LUTON Park Street Baptist Chapel	MON1/1 (AWM)
LUTON Chapel Street Wesleyan Chapel	MON1/1 (AWM)
LUTON Holy Trinity, Biscot	MON4/81 (FHS)
MARSTON MORETAYNE	MON4/38 (FHS)
MAULDEN	MON1/12 (AWM)
MELCHBOURNE	MON4/39 (FHS)
MEPPERSHALL	MON4/40 (FHS)
MILLBROOK	MON2/5 (LHC)
MILTON BRYAN	MON1/5 (AWM)
MILTON ERNEST	MON4/41 (FHS)
MOGGERHANGER	MON4/42
NORTHILL	MON1/9 (AWM)
OAKLEY	MON4/43 (BMS)  MON4/44 (FHS)
ODELL	MON4/45 (FHS)
PAVENHAM	MON2/11 (LHC)
PERTENHALL Churchyard	MON4/46          PL/AC1/11
PERTENHALL Moravian Burial Ground	MON3/5 (OC)
PODINGTON	MON2/9 (LHC) MON2/14 (LHC)	Churchyard Inside church
POTSGROVE	MON1/5 (AWM)
POTTON Churchyard	MON1/15 (AWM) MON3/6 (OC) MON4/47 (FHS) MON4/48/1-2 (OC) MON5/1 (OC)	AWM with additions Comparison of AWM, pamph 130 and parish registers to produce a 'best fit'
POTTON Cemetery	MON4/49 (FHS) MON4/50
POTTON Congregational/United Reform Church	MON4/48/1-2 (OC)
POTTON Baptist Burial Ground	MON1/15 (AWM)  MON3/6 (OC) MON4/48/1-2 (OC)
PULLOXHILL	MON1/1 (AWM)
RADWELL	see Felmersham
RAVENSDEN	MON4/51 (FHS)
RENHOLD	MON4/82 (Pl)
RIDGMONT	MON4/52 (FHS) PL/AC1/15	Segenhoe Church
RIDGMONT Independent Baptist burial ground	MON4/53
RISELEY	MON4/54 (FHS)  PL/AC1/16
ROXTON	MON1/13 (AWM) MON4/55 (OC)
SALFORD	MON4/56 (FHS)
SANDY Churchyard	MON1/14 (AWM)  MON5/2
SANDY Burial Ground	MON1/14 (AWM)  MON5/2
SHARNBROOK	None
SHEFFORD	See Campton
SHEFFORD Methodist & Baptist Burial Grounds	MON4/57 (FHS)
SHEFFORD HARDWICK	None
SHELTON	MON4/58 (FHS)
SHILLINGTON	MON1/6 (AWM)  MON4/59 (FHS)
SILSOE	None
SOULDROP	MON4/60 (FHS)
SOUTHILL Churchyard	MON1/9 (AWM)
SOUTHILL Strict Baptist Chapel	MON4/61
STAGSDEN	MON1/17 (AWM)
STANBRIDGE	Book 130 STA (Pl)	Master copy PL/AC1/1
STAPLOE	see Eaton Socon
STAUGHTON, LITTLE Churchyard	MON4/62 (FHS)
STAUGHTON, LITTLE Baptist Chapel	MON4/63 (FHS)
STEPPINGLEY	MON4/64 (FHS)
STEVINGTON Churchyard	MON1/17 (AWM)	copy at CRT 130 STE 16
STEVINGTON West End Baptists	MON1/17 (AWM)
STONDON, UPPER	None
STOPSLEY	MON4/65 (FHS)
STOTFOLD Churchyard	MON1/8 (AWM)
STOTFOLD Wesleyan Chapel	MON1/8 (AWM)
STOTFOLD Three Counties Asylum	MON4/66 (FHS)
STREATLEY	MON1/1 (AWM) MON2/13 (LHC)
STUDHAM	MON1/2 (AWM) MON2/13 (OC)
SUNDON	MON1/1 (AWM)
SUTTON	MON1/15 (AWM) Book 130 SUT (Pl)	Master copy PL/AC1/3
SWINESHEAD	MON4/67 (FHS)
TEMPSFORD	MON1/14 (AWM)
THURLEIGH Churchyard	PL/AC1/19
THURLEIGH Baptist Chapel	PL/AC1/19
TILBROOK	MON4/69 (FHS)
TILSWORTH	MON1/2 (AWM)  MON4/70 (Pl) Z532/3	extracts
TINGRITH	MON1/5 (AWM)
TODDINGTON	MON1/2 (AWM) Z532/1/3	extracts
TOTTERNHOE	MON1/2 (AWM)
TURVEY Churchyard	MON1/17 (AWM)
TURVEY United Reformed Church	MON4/71 (FHS)
WARDEN, OLD	MON1/10 (AWM)
WESTONING	MON1/2 (AWM) MON4/72 (OC)	updates AWM
WHIPSNADE	MON1/2 (AWM)
WILDEN	MON1/13 (AWM) MON4/73 (FHS)
WILSHAMSTEAD [WILSTEAD]	MON1/11 (AWM) MON4/73 (OC)	A - Z list
WILLINGTON	MON1/10 (AWM)
WOBURN	MON1/3 (AWM)   FAC47/1 (OC)
WOBURN SANDS Churchyard	MON3/8              MON4/75 (FHS)          FAC134/1-2 CRT130 WOB34
WOBURN SANDS Quaker Burial Ground	MON4/76 (FHS)  FR28/3/4
WOOTTON	MON4/77 (OC) A - Z list	Based on WI survey
WRESTLINGWORTH	MON1/15 (AWM)
WYMINGTON	MON2/13 (LHC)
YIELDEN	MON2/12 (LHC)