Thank you - there is a local expert on the garlands as we have some churches in Shropshire that have a few. We got her over to look at Dolly's Heart when we first found it. Rosie Morris, “The innocent and touching custom of Maidens Garlands: A Field Report”, Folklore, 114:3, (2003), 355-387.

Finally, this find has helped us to link with those that lived here before us. Dolly’s Heart shows that nearly 300 years ago an ordinary family mourned the loss of a child so acutely they created a memorial that against all the odds has survived. We will continue to remember her.

This is what it looks like now (not a great photo - sorry). On the 268th anniversary of her funeral Dolly's Heart was received back into the church where it was first displayed. Although we keep it in a box to try and protect it from humidity we get it out and display it whenever we can.

This fragile little remnant of a family's love for their daughter has touched the hearts of all that have come into contact with it since 2020. We took advice and found that the expert we needed lived in Shropshire. The diocese approved the work and we were fortunate to get grants to pay.

We do not know if the heart that we found was the entire garland or whether it was associated with the paper and wooden framed garlands seen in other churches but it is possible that the heart was fashioned by the local blacksmith as it is now known to be made of iron not tin as previously described

Dorothy Newcombe (known as Dolly) was 15 when she died in August 1753. The daughter of a farmer, she had gone with the horses down to the Severn so they could cool off after a hot day in the fields. At some point, Dolly fell into the river and drowned. Her funeral was held on the 29th August.

One was described as a piece of tin, in a heart shape and painted black with DN aged 15 died 1753 written on it in gold paint. At one time there were white gloves displayed with it – these were a symbol of purity and often found with such items. It was remembered up until 1840.

We knew from memoires and records that in Shropshire the practice of making funeral mementos for (usually) young women was known in the 17th and 18th centuries. We also knew that at one time our church had as many as five but it was thought that all had been lost. Until now.

We moved a pew out of the vestry - it had been there at least 30-40 years. Behind it - as well as a lot of dust and dirt - was a rusty and dirty metal heart shape attached to a piece of wood. It had the remnants of black paint with some gold bits too. We knew exactly what it was!

I thought I would spend this wet windy December day writing about an artefact we found in our little church which led us on a journey of discovery about the ancient custom of Maiden's Garlands. It all started just as the first lockdown was announced....... a🧵