There are many references to whitewashing houses, farm buildings, churches and other structures in Wales during the 18th and 19th centuries. All the references to whitewashed gravestones are in south Wales, as far north as Aberystwyth.
It was noted by at least one tourist that the gravestones which were whitewashed did not have inscriptions.
Whitewash tends to wash off, and as far as is known, no surviving gravestones are whitewashed.
Some tourists noted at other stones around graves were whitened, and it is possible that shells, or white stones, especially quartz, were also used on graves. There is some suggestion that quartz was used on Bronze Age burial mounds. Today, white and coloured stones or glass fragments are spread over some graves.
List of places for which there are references to whitewashed grave stones (details below)
1775 Brecon
1785 Pyle, Glamorganshire
1785 Llanelly, Carmarthenshire
1776 Abergwili, Carmarthen
1787 Briton Ferry, (Mason’s poem), Glamorganshire
1796 Swansea to Carmarthen road
1801 Glamorganshire
1803 Glamorganshire (Malkin)
1805 Llywel, Breconshire
1808 Neath, Glamorganshire
1810 Llanon, Carmarthenshire
1811 Bonvilleston, Glamorganshire
1821 Wales
1824 Llandovery (basket work), Carmarthenshire
1824 Aberystwyth (poem), Cardiganshire
1827 Cardiff, Glamorganshire
1831 [Wales] Howells, Cambrian Superstitions
1839 Glamorganshire (fiction?)
1841 Monmouth (believed)
1844 Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire
1847 Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire
1858 (and earlier?) Briton Ferry, Glamorganshire
1876 Usk, Llanhowell and Llanbadoc, Monmouthshire (Newspaper),
1876 Monmouth (Newspaper)
1893 Wales, (Marie Trevelyan)
1775 Brecon
I observed in the churchyard a poor fellow clearing the weeds from the tomb of his wife who had been dead 35 years, and which he had just whitened. Indeed the attention to the dead seems very particular here: several very decent Altar tombs over common mechanics and there is scarcely a grave that has not a piece of slate at both ends, whitened, though un-inscribed.
Cullum, Sir Thomas Gerry, [Tour of south Wales, 1775], NLW 5446B, p. 133
1776, Abergwili, Carmarthen
The churchyard might have furnished an ornament to Grey’s charming Elegy. Their simple manners occasionally renew the whitewash on the stones round the graves of their departed friends; and cover the surface with wild flowers stuck in patterns upon the turf.
Wrest Park papers (Lucas), Bedfordshire County Record Office, Transcriptions of the letters at Gloucester record Office, D2240/box 22
Jones, Anthea, Letters from the Bishop’s wife during the Episcopal visitations of the diocese of St David’s, 1774-1778, Carmarthenshire Antiquary, XXXVIII, (2002), letter 1, p. 20
1785 Pyle, Glamorganshire
The churchyard exhibited the appearance of a flower garden, and grave stones washed with white (for Easter Sunday),
Matthews, William, (of Bath) The miscellaneous companions, Vol. I Being a short tour of observation and sentiment, through a part of South Wales, p. 50
1785 Llanelthy [Llanelly]
Visited the church where there were ‘flowery graves and the whited and ever-greened sepulchres of the dead’.
Matthews, William, (of Bath) The miscellaneous companions, Vol. I Being a short tour of observation and sentiment, through a part of South Wales, p. 112
1787 [Briton Ferry]
With Wives, with Children, all in measur’d rows,
Two whiten’d flint stones mark the feet and head.
Rev W Mason, poem, “Elegy in a Churchyard in South Wales”
1796 Swansea to Carmarthen road
It was here too we first noticed the whimsical mode of honouring the relics of departed relations and friends. Tiles or slates carefully whitewashed, and stuck perpendicularly into the ground trace out a space equal to the coffin of the deceased.
J.B. jnr. and W. W. is in A Pedestrian Tour thro Wales in 1796, NLW MS 23253 C, pp. 32-33
1801
The practice of planting flowers and aromatic herbs on the graves of deceased friends is still prevalent in Glamorganshire. A border of stones is generally made round the grave, which is periodically whitewashed.
Coxe, William, An Historical Tour in Monmouthshire, part 2 (1801), p. 410
1803
Comment on Stanza V of Mason’s poem (1787) ‘Two whitened stones well mark the feet and head.’
The stones at each end of the grave are whitened with lime every Christmas, Easter and Whitsun.
Malkin, B.H., The Scenery, Antiquities, and Biography of South Wales from materials collected during two excursions in the year 1803. Embellished with views drawn on the spot and engraved by Laporte and a map of the county, (London: 1804)
1805 Llywel, Breconshire
in the church-yard are a great number of small plank stones, placed at the head and foot of the graves, uninscribed and whitewashed.
Mavor, William Fordyce, (1758-1837), A tour in Wales, and through several counties of England: including both the universities; performed in the summer of 1805, (1806), p. 46
1808 Neath
The graves in Wales, besides being covered with flowers, are for the most part inclosed with a stone, which is whitewashed every Saturday. I saw a female whitewashing the stone at the grave of her mother in the churchyard of Neath.
Spence, Elizabeth, (1768-1832) Summer Excursions through parts of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Derbyshire, and South Wales (1809), p. 101
1810 (about) Llanon, Carmarthenshire
visited the Churchyard and observed the spots which contained the remains of a parent, a brother or a sister adorned with sweet herbs and wild flowers, of various descriptions ; and enclosed by large white stones.
Anon, Narrative of a Tour through Wales by an anonymous English Gentleman. NLW ms 18943, ff. 15-15v
1811 Bonvilleston
the grave stones where there were no inscriptions were whitewashed
Cullum, Rev Sir Thomas Gerry, [Trip to Tenby, 1811], NLW 5446B, p. 47
1818 Britton Ferry
Note to Stanza V of Mason’s poem (1787) ‘Two whitened stones well mark the feet and head.’ (above)
The poor, who cannot afford inscribed monumental stones over the graves of their friends, fix two common paving flags, or stones; one at the head, the other at the feet; and whitewash them thrice every year – Christmas, Easter and Whitsuntide.
The Cambrian Register, vol. 3, (London, 1818), p. 470, with notes [on the verse] by the Rev William Thomas, B.D., Chancellor of the Cathedral of Llandaff, and vicar of Britton-ferry, and additional notes by Edward Williams of Flimstone [Iolo Morganwg].
1821
These graves are surrounded by small whitewashed stones.
Bucke, Charles, On the Beauties, Harmonies, and Sublimities of Nature; with Occasional Remarks on the Laws, Customs, Manners, and Opinions of Various Nations.( 4 vols. London, 1821), pp. 256-267 [with extensive footnotes, quoting Brand amongst others. The above is only part of the original.]
Reviewed with extensive excerpts in The Literary Chronicle and Weekly review for 1821, May 12, 1821, pp. 292-293
1824 Llandovery
The new made graves here and in other parts of Wales are surrounded with a Basket Work which is white washed & a little stone placed at the Head & Feet & Flowers of various sort planted on the Top.
Porter, Anne, Journal of a tour down the Wye & through South Wales, August 17th to September 25th 1824. Worcestershire Record Office, BA 3940 Parcel 65 (ii) 705: 262 (25th August)
1824 Aberystwyth
But flowers fair their fragrance shed,
And every grave’s a flower bed!
With primrose borders, daisies, lilies,
Uprooted from the dewy vallies ;
And laved with lime, so fair to sight,
The head and footstones e’er are white –
White pebbles edge the grave about,
And white is sorrows face devout,
(Bleached with tears) that bends o’er there,
To make Death’s garden sweet and fair.
Poem by Thomas Jeffrey Llewelyn Prichard, Welsh Minstrelsy: containing the Land beneath the sea; or Cantrev y Gwaelod …, (1824), canto III, p. 114
1827 Cardiff
The graves in the churchyard are very interesting, as it is customary to have mould upon them & to plant flowers setting them round with large white stones well whitened – these are attended by the survivors – others have stones much ornamented with figures in relief of bibles or flowers or angels & some with English inscriptions & some with Welsh.
Beecroft, Judith, [Tour of Wales], Cardiff Central Library, MS2.325, p. ??
1831 [Wales]
On Palm Sunday, or Easter Day, in other parts of Wales, where no flowers are set, they proceed early in the morning to clean and whitewash the gravestones.
Howells, William, Cambrian superstitions, comprising ghosts, omens, witchcraft, traditions, etc : To which are added a concise view of the manners and customs of the principality, and some fugitive pieces (1831), pp. 171-172, (facsimile edition, 1971)
1839 Glamorganshire [fiction?]
On our return, I was surprised, as we came to the churchyard, to find it the scene of extraordinary employment, until I recollected that this was Easter Eve. All the village were there, engaged, after the old custom, in trimming and adorning the graves of their deceased relatives. Some were raising the sides with fresh turf, and putting fresh earth upon the surface; and others whitewashed the stones at the ends;
Redwood, Charles, The Vale of Glamorgan, Scenes and Tales among the Welsh, (1839), pp. 305-306
1841 Penalt, near Monmouth
when flowers are planted on graves, it was, and we believe is the custom to surround the area with stones, which are periodically whitewashed.
Ritchie, Leitch, The Wye and its Associations, a Picturesque Ramble, 1841, p. 44
1844 Aberystwyth
The grave yard is distinguished by black slate tombstones, walled up behind and whitewashed.
Anon, An Account of a Tour in Wales, NLW MS 10566, f. 54
1847 St Michael’s church [Aberystwyth]
There is a peculiarity regarding the grave stones at this place: they are generally fixed in a stack of bricks built up for the purpose, and white-washed, the tablet appearing in front. The surface of the grave is usually paved with a kind of small marble stones, which are found in abundance on the beach.
Hicklin, John, Excursions in north Wales, a complete Guide to the tourist through that romantic country, containing descriptions of its picturesque beauties, Historical antiquities, and modern wonders, (1847), p. 15
1858 (and earlier?) Briton Ferry
Where there are gravestones,— and these are very generally erected, one at each end of a grave,—they are invariably whitened with lime at every recurrence of the holiday seasons.
Black’s Picturesque Guide Through North and South Wales and Monmouthshire 8th edition, 1858, p. 333;
Black’s Picturesque Guide to South Wales and Monmouthshire (1871), pp. 299-300
1893
Palm Sunday is called Flowering Sunday in Wales and then the graves present a very beautiful appearance, but still, traces of old time customs and superstitions are to be observed. The small un-inscribed stones at the heads and feet of the poor peoples’ graves are whitewashed, and the earth upon and around them is carefully sanded.
Trevelyan, Marie, Glimpses of Welsh Life and Character, (1893), p. 68
1876 Usk, Llanllowell [Llanllywel] and Llanbadoc
The graves are neatly trimmed with spades, and the tombs and headstones are washed and scoured, repainted, or receive a new coating of whitewash.
County Observer and Monmouthshire Central Advertiser, 15.4.1876
1876 Monmouth
The tombs and stones had been in many cases re-painted or washed
Monmouthshire Beacon quoted in Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser, 21.4.1876
Early Tourists in Wales 