A pair of souls

We have based ourselves in the village of Haltwhistle whilst exploring Hadrian's wall. This 19th century gravestone lies in the graveyard just across the road from our lodgings. I am very fond of the symbolic carvings on the old Scottish stones and so was delighted to see similar ones down here in Northumberland. This stone has symbols that remind us of our certain mortality and also of our possible immortality.

The two winged cherubs represent souls leaving their bodies at the time of death and ascending to wait the day of judgement when the bodies will rise to join them.

The dove at the top of the stone represents the Holy Spirit and the sunburst below it The Radiance or Glory of God.

The two veiled urns on the pilasters warn us of our mortality being reminiscent of the urns used in classical times to store cremated bones.