THE DISCOVERY OF RALPH HIGDEN'S TOMB By

THE VEN E. BARBER M. A. 1902

An extract from the Chester Courant, of June 3rd, 1874, being a portion of a paper read by Rev. E. L. V. Deacle, at a meeting of the Archeological Society, on May 27th

Higden's Tomb - from east looking down in South Choir aisle - Chester Cathedral

"On February 16th. in repairing the stone seat which runs along the wall in the south aisle of the Choir, the workmen came across a stone-slab forming part of the seat. On the slab there was a rich foliated cross, being styled the Cross of Glory. Under the slab was rough stonework, which had to be removed in order to restore the ashlar. The workman employed in removing these stones was soon attracted by the hollow sound beneath, and on going a little deeper he came on three stones, one of which had formed part of the mullion of a window. These stones were found to be the covering of a stone-grave partly cut in the wall. The stones were carefully removed in my presence, and disclosed a grave 2 feet 4 inches from the level of the floor. The grave had never been disturbed; but there lay the body, marvelously perfect in form the hands crossed on the breast; the arms, as far as the elbow, lying on either side of the body! The skull had fallen from the cavity cut in the stone to receive it, and was resting on the breast.

For the first few moments after opening the grave the framework of the body seemed most complete, and so perfect and distinct that I could see the fingers of the hands clasped. In a short time the distinctness of the form was gone, and besides some of the larger bones nothing remained but a glittering white powdery matter and the brown cerecloth which still enveloped the lower part of the body. This cerecloth was of coarse plaited work, and of a woollen material. The grave was made with flags set on edge, with a hole cut out of the solid stone for the head. The length of the grave was 5 feet 3 inches from the shoulders to the feet, and the rest for the head was 9 inches long. The breadth across the shoulders was 1 foot 5 inches; and where the feet, which were tied together, lay the width was 12 1/2 inches. The actual depth of the coffin or grave was 13 1/2 - inches

Across the legs, reaching from the ............... feet above the middle of the body, there lay the remains of a decayed hazel rod."
I will now give the narrative of the discovery as gathered from Mr. Deacle's letters. Writing on March ioth, 1902, he says
'1 was present when Higden's grave was opened some three feet below the floor. The stone-coffin was covered with three stones, one of which would seem to have been used in a window. The skull fell out of the head-rest when the grave was opened, and bits of bone, a fragment or two of the cassock in which he was buried, and a fine white powder the actual form of the spine (were seen). The grave proved to be that of Higden by an account of a Royal Progress found in the Bodleian Library, where the grave of Higden was pointed out at a measured distance from a doorway (unknown in my day) which led into the cemetery On the body in the coffin was laid a hazel wand, the purpose of which was not clearly understood."