Ann Feversham Memorial

I have had a whinge about vernacular memorials many times before. The proliferation of benches on Roseberry, words carved into the rock face on Easby Moor and bunches of flowers wrapped in cellophane which remains long after the flowers have died. On the nose of Cockayne Ridge overlooking Bransdale is another memorial. A non-descript square sandstone cairn bonded with cement mortar. It is dedicated to Anne Feversham 1910 – 1995. But is this any different?

The Countess of Feversham, MBE, CBE was the widow of Charles Duncombe, 3rd Earl of Feversham DSO, who died in 1963. Bransdale was part of the Feversham estate and the Dowager Countess continued to live part of the year in Bransdale Lodge, built in 1828 to celebrate the ennoblement of the 1st Earl, also named Charles Duncombe. The 2,000-acre dale, including the lodge, was gifted to the National Trust in 1969 to offset the Earl’s substantial death duties.

So the memorial was built on National Trust land, sometime after 1995. I trust permission was sought and obtained.