One of the interesting headstones which survive in St Mary in Arden’s graveyards is this one:
Sacred
To the Memory of
William Bryan
Late of Spode in the Parish
Of Clun County of Salop
Who died Suddenly
In Harborough
The 31st Day of July 1832
In the 42nd Year of his Age
And was Buried Here
Important business brought me down,
From Clun ton-ville to Harborough town;
A hundred miles from home
Being wearied much my health was gone,
I breathed my last for I was on
My journey to the tomb.
Let not my tender parents here,
My Brothers or my Sisters dear
My Wife or Children weep
The word divine predicts that we
Shall rise again and blessed be
Who do in Jesus sleep
It was such an informative headstone, I sent a photograph and transcript off to the Shropshire Family History Society, hoping he would belong to someone and he did! William was from a farming family and I would guess he had come to Market Harborough for one of the markets to buy or sell sheep, cattle or horses.