Shropshire author Mary Webb's devotees restore her gravestone
The gravestone of Shropshire novelist Mary Webb has been restored to its original condition thanks to a firm of stonemasons and members of the society devoted to her works.
The four-foot-high marble memorial to the author of The Golden Arrow, Precious Bane and Gone to Earth, who lived in the county for much of her life, had become weathered and dulled in the 87 years since her death, aged 46, in 1927.
Members of the Mary Webb Society, who still place flowers on her grave at Shrewsbury Cemetery on Longden Road each month, decided the time had come to take action.
They got in touch with Rob Burrows, a stone mason and maker of monuments based in Shrewsbury, who had carried out remedial work on the memorial more than a decade ago.
Sue Higginbotham, secretary of the Mary Webb Society, said: "The society looks after the grave and visits it once a month.
"We had noticed that it had become worn and tired.
"We decided it was time to take some action and took advice from the stonemason about how to do it."
Mrs Higginbotham said the work to the memorial cost more than £100, "but it was something we had to do".
Rob Burrows, from Burrows Monumental Masons, on Copthorne Road, said: "The work took about three weeks.
"I had to chase out the old letting and then refile and insert new enamel," he said. "We then polished it back up.
"It is a very grand memorial, made of marble from Italy and it is not something that Health and Safety would allow nowadays due to its height.
"But I was delighted to be asked to do it and hope the society is pleased with my work. Being a stone mason is a very rewarding job and I have done work in St Chad's church, plaques for the Army and work all over the place.
"This is the last thing I can do for someone's loved one."
Mary Webb was born on March 25th 1881 at Leighton Lodge, Leighton, near Shrewsbury.
In 1926 she and her husband, Henry, built Spring Cottage at Lyth Hill.
The cottage is currently at the centre of a planning row as the new owner, businessman Joe Kwaterski, has applied to demolish it so he can build a four storey, six bedroom home complete with orangery and swimming pool.
The application has been opposed by villagers and members of the Mary Webb Society, and will be decided by Shropshire Council later this year. People have until May 14 to register their views.
