Page:Bruton parish church restored and its historic environments (1907 V2).djvu/153

 *tion. In many instances, these tacks, with the leather strip beneath, had been nailed entirely around the outer edge of the coffin, in addition to forming the initials and dates, which were always found between the head and the center of the coffin.

The work of identification had to be done with extreme care, as nothing could be learned from the initials and dates unless found in the exact position in which they had been originally placed. Between the letters and figures, there being nothing to hold the fibre of the wood together, it had generally split in two, as was often the case between the tacks forming the letters and figures. The Parish Register, dating back to 1662, being still preserved, we were able, by comparing the initials and dates with the death record of the past, to identify the graves. Over these graves, marble slabs have been placed in the chancel and aisles of the church, containing the exact record given by the tacks and their interpretation from the Parish Register and other sources, where such information could be found.

This work was done by the Rector of the Church, assisted by Mr. T. N. Lawrence, of the Senior class of William and Mary College, who was employed by the Vestry to assist in this work of excavation.

The measurements given above were taken by Lieutenant Galt, of the United States Navy, who also prepared the diagrams showing the location of the graves.