Nestled in cemetary at the ancient 12th Century Priory at Lanercost in Cumbria are many graves belonging to people of note.  One of these plots belongs to the Howard family, who's generations of males have held the title of Earl of Carlisle since the 17th Century.

Charles Howard was created Earl of Carlisle by Charles II. This title was to remain in the Howard family at Castle Howard until the division of the family estates after the death of the 9th Earl and Countess.

On the opposite side of the path from the Earl's graves is the resting place of Ankaret Cecelia Carolyn Jackson (nee Howard). Wife of William Jackson & daughter of Charles James Stanley Howard, 10th Earl of Carlisle.

Alongside this is William Jackson 7th Baronet and his second wife Ina.

As one enters the priory gates, there is a small group of three trees to the left.  These were planted in 1964 in memory of George, the 11th Earl of Carlisle by his son Charles.

Nestling in a tranquil corner of the Low Gardens of Dalemain historic house in Penrith, Cumbria, is a delightful, small and understated resting place for all the pets of the house since 1931.

Woodland resting place for the animals of Dalemain.

The oldest of the graves belongs to Bunty, the children's Cairn Terrier 1931 - 1941, with others belonging to Jack the Bearded Collie 1942 - 1956 and seven of the corgis including; Sunny, Bumble, Honey, Tim and lastly Barney all between 1945 and 1974.

Bunty, the children's Cairn Terrier headstone 1931-1941

Buried alongside the family pets are Heather the Fell Mare 1962 - 1989 and the well known black Fell Stallion Dalemain Nettle 1968 - 1989, whos prizewinning stock were renowned for their exceptionally good temperament. Owned and bred by Mrs. McCosh of Dalemain.

The Stallion, Dalemain Nettle on the right, running out with mares and foals

Above image courtesy of The Fell Pony Society

Whilst researching a family tree, we came across The Cumbrian War Memorials blog site... an amazing labour of love and an absolute must visit, for anybody interested in military history.

'There are many war memorials in Cumbria. The United Kingdom National Inventory of War Memorials at the Imperial War Museum lists over 800 in the county but this is a gross underestimate. There are perhaps two or three thousand commemorating conflicts from the middle ages to Iraq & Afghanistan. They take every imaginable form. An example is this delightful sundial that stands in St Mary's churchyard, Longsleddale commemorating the village dead from the Great War.
This blog has been set up in the hope that it may inspire others to contribute towards establishing a comprehensive listing of memorials in the county. If recorded they are less likely to be destroyed, as many have been. They pose many questions; about the validation of war, of death and remembrance and of ideas of community or nationhood'.

Visit the Cumbrian War Memorials Blog and help them to conserve the memorials to Cumbria's fallen, from Jacobite rebellions to the more recent events in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The aim of The War Graves Photographic Project is to photograph every war grave, individual memorial, MoD grave, and family memorial of serving military personnel from WWI to the present day and make these available within a searchable database.

Now working as a joint venture with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, this will enable families, scholars and researchers to obtain, via the CWGC or TWGPP websites, a copy of the photograph of a grave or memorial which for many is impossible to visit due to the location.

This service has only been made possible through the efforts of a dedicated group of volunteers, from all walks of life, who feel the need to Remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice and who realise the importance for families to see where their loved ones are laid to rest or commemorated. This emulates the CWGC ethos to 'Remember in Perpetuity'

This project aims to photograph in excess of 1.75 million graves or memorials from Commonwealth Nations and many from other military forces around the world.

Use the search facility to check if a photograph is currently held and available but please remember that the CWGC records hold 1.75 million casualties so there is still a little more work to do before the archive can be considered complete.