Mom and Dad waiting at the Houston airport to board the plane for the long flight to England.

Mom (Louise), Joyce, Rex and Dad (Don Sr.)

In front of our cousin's Rex and Joyce's beautiful house in Lydney. Rex and Joyce agree to be our gracious hosts for the first week of the journey. We had such a great time with them. In addition to being our "bed and breakfast" they taught us to drive on the wrong side of the road, played tour guide throughout the most beautiful spots in the Forest of Dean, provided fabulous tea, and, of course, served delicious pudding.

Closeup of the group.

Joyce, Mom, Dad and Rex

Afternoon tea in the garden before the first sight-seeing tour.

Fantastick view of the Severn River from Rex and Joyce's garden.

St. Paul's Church at Parkend

Off we go to the first stop on the tour - St. Paul's Church at Parkend

The Lychgate at St. Paul's - Parkend.

A Lychgate is a covered open structure, found at a church gate. It normally consists of four or six oak posts embedded in the ground in a rectangular shape. On top of this are a number of beams to hold a steeply sloping straight pitched roof covered in wooden or clay peg tiles.

The name is derived from the Saxon Lych meaning "corpse" and gate meaning entrance. Hence corpse entrance.

The lychgates were built from about the mid 15th century. It was the custom at the time for priests to conduct the first part of the funeral service under its shelter.

During medieval times the rich were the only people buried in coffins. The poor were carried to the lychgate and placed on a stone or wooden table covered in a shroud before burial.

Dad and Joyce next to our first geneological discovery - the gravestone of their great, great grandfather - George Burgham 1813 - 1896.

Detail of George Burgham and his first wife's (Elizabeth Williams) gravestone.

The gravestone also gave details of the young children of George and Elizabeth.

"...rles their son

...22, 1846 Aged 5

...hur their son

...31, 1850. Aged 18

...Albert their son who died 1865 aged 4 years

...Charles, their son who died July 10, 1866, aged 16 years

Also of Elizabeth Wife of George Burgham who died April 19, 1877 Aged 65 years

Also of George Burgham who died October 14, 1896 Aged 83 years

Joyce placing flowers on the grave of her sister and brother in law - Margaret (Beddid) Gwynne and Robbie Gwynne