Hi Keith, I guess Bat Goddess, in the post below your last, has given us the word for that feature of a gravestone about which you are enquiring - and from the well informed things that she told me in her PM she is certain to be right -thanks Linn, we can never have too many words. The tympanum shows a storm tossed ship with wrecked sails as Linn describes. I am not sure of the stone involved because I was not looking with your thanatolitholgist's eye Linn but from memory I would guess limestone. I will go and have a look next time I am over that way.I have sent a close up of the tympanum to the two of you and to stallion -I hope you enjoy the e-mail a-trois. Geoff