Summary
Headstone dating from about 1881 commemorating William Balls.
Description
Headstone. c1881. Carved stone. The headstone has slightly narrowed sides and a curved top with an oval relief panel of a ship in a heavy sea and under lowering clouds. The inscription records William Balls, the husband of Frances Martha Balls, who died aged 25, having fallen from the lugger, Egmere, in the gale of Oct. 29, 1880.
SOURCE. The deceased's granddaughter, Mrs. Joan Witham, has verified the faint inscription and reports that the family tradition is that the relief illustrates the Egmere.
This is a very unusual and fine headstone which not only records fully a young man's death at sea but also shows a relief carving of the ship from which he fell. Forms a group with the listed Chapel and three other listed headstones in the cemetery.
History
The land for Cromer Cemetery was donated by B B Cabell of Cromer Hall in 1860. There was originally a private path between the cemetery and the hall. A quarter of the cemetery was reserved for dissenters, the rest was consecrated for Anglicans. The cemetery closed to burials in 1908.
Reasons for Listing
The William Balls Monument at Cromer Old Cemetery is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* this is an unusual headstone with a relief carving depicting the ship from which the deceased fell.
Historic interest:
* it commemorates the sad death of a young man at sea.
Group value:
* it has group value with the cemetery chapel and three other listed headstones.
External Links
External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.
Recommended Books
Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
For the Record
Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)