The church of All Saints, in Pontefract, county York, was some years ago
partly restored for divine worship; and during the progress of the works, a
broken slab was discovered in the chancel part of the church, upon which
was cut an archiepiscopal cross, extending from the top apparently to the
bottom. On the upper part of the stone, and on each side of the cross, was
a circle or ring cut down the middle by a dagger; and bearing on the circle
the following inscription in Old English characters:
"+ in . god . is . all ."
In the middle of the stone, and on each side of the cross, also appear a
shield emblazoned with a rabbit or coney _sejant_.[4]
Beneath this part appears the commencement of the inscription, which seems
to have run across the surface of the stone, "Orate pro anim...." Here the
stone is broken across, and the lower part not found.
Can any of your numerous readers inform me if this stone could possibly be
the tombstone of Thurstan, Archbishop of York? It is said that he resigned
the see of York after holding it twenty-six years:
"Being old and sickly, he would have been made a monk of Pontefract,
but he had scarcely put off his pontifical robes, and put on his monk's
dress, when death came upon him and made him assume his grave-clothes;
for he survived but eleven days after his resignation, dying Feb. 5,
1140."
Thurstan is stated to have been buried in the Monastery; but may he not
have been buried in the church of All Saints, which was the conventual
church of the Priory of St. John the Evangelist, and was situated adjoining
the Grange, the site of the Priory? In the bull of Pope Celestine, "right
of burial in this church was granted to the monks, saving the privileges of
neighbouring churches." (_Ch. de Pontif._ fol. 8. a.)