Charles Thompson's Grave, Berry Hill, Mansfield, Notts.

Image: © David Hallam-Jones Taken: 16 Jul 2017

The plot of land - said to be the highest point above sea level in Mansfield - hosts the solitary grave of Charles Thompson, an C18th merchant and philanthropist, within an otherwise undeveloped open space. This is a view from Southwell Road West (the A6191). Thompson's grave lies deep beneath the ground surrounded by this stone wall. Although Charles Thompson, a successful cloth trader and local philanthropist (1714-1784), was born in Mansfield he spent much of his life outside of Nottinghamshire and the British Isles. Once, whilst in Lisbon, there was an earthquake and churches, amongst other buildings, tumbled and graves were upturned revealing bones and bodies. Upon his return to Mansfield, and as a result of this incident, Charles apparently decided that he would make arrangements for his body to be buried 18 feet down, so he could rest undisturbed by such occurrences. 33 years after his quake-proof burial here Mansfield, it seems, was struck by a "thoroughly authenticated earthquake of 4.2 on the Richter scale on 17 March 1816." 100-150 metres beyond the grave's circular boundary wall pedestrians find themselves on Berry Hill Lane.

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