Buchanan grave inscriptions

‘I, Claudius Buchanan, of Little Ouseburn, make this my last will and testament. I commit my soul and body to Jesus Christ, the Saviour of lost sinners, of which sinners I am one, the chief of sinners'. ’This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024).

A Calvinist, born into the Church of Scotland, Buchanan retained his belief in predestination after being ordained into the Church of England. He believed that all men are sinners and that they must seek redemption and salvation. Further, he believed that he was one of the elect, chosen before the creation of the world to go to heaven, regardless of whether his actions on earth were good or bad. He was buried with his section wife and their two children at Little Ouseburn in Yorkshire. Their grave is fenced off from the rest of the churchyard by iron railings.  When the below photographs were taken the graves were overgrown with ivy.

[Note: The first Mary Buchanan Died 18 Jun 1805 at age 25 and was buried at sea, near St Helena]

MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS in Little Ouseburn

In sure and certain hope

of a blessed resurrection unto eternal life, 

 was deposited here the mortal body of 

MARY, 

the beloved wife of the Rev. Dr CLAUDIUS BUCHANAN, 

of Moat Hall, 

and youngest daughter of Henry Thompson, Esq. of Kirby Hall, 

who died on the 23d day of March 1813,

in the 36th year of her age 

 By the grace given unto her, this excellent woman 

adorned by her conduct the doctrine of the Gospel. 

Sincerity, honesty, and simplicity, 

were the characters of her mind, and she 

delighted to serve God, 

who desireth truth in the inward parts. 

Exercised by personal and domestic suffering, she was 

early weaned from the love of the world: 

her affections were set on things which are above, 

and she was enabled to overcome the world, 

for she was born of God. 

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and 

this is the victory that overcometh the world, 

even our faith. 1 John v. 4. 

Close by her side lie her two infant children, 

CLAUDIUS BUCHANAN, 

aged three days,

born 28th Dec. 1810.

And his infant brother,

who lived and died the 27th Feb. 1813.

Thrice happy infants!

That saw the light, and turned their eyes aside 

From our dim regions to the eternal Sun. 

Sacred to the memory of

CLAUDIUS BUCHANAN, D. D.

Late Vice-Provost of the College of Fort William in Bengal, 

whose eminent character as a Christian,

zeal for the cause of his God and Saviour, 

and unwearied endeavours to promote it in the earth, 

deserve to be had in everlasting remembrance. 

He was a native of Scotland, 

 but educated at Queen's College, Cambridge. 

During the twelve years of his abode in India, 

his spirit was stirred in him, 

while he beheld millions of his fellow subjects, 

under a Christian government, 

as sheep without a shepherd, and perishing 

for lack of knowledge. 

To excite the attention of the British nation to this sad spectacle, 

he devoted his time, talents, and a 

large portion of his income. 

By his Christian Researches, and other 

valuable publications, 

he pleaded the cause of neglected India, nor pleaded in vain : 

Britain was roused to a sense of her duty, 

and sent forth labourers to the harvest. 

Though gentle and unassuming,

he was bold and intrepid in this work of faith and labour of love; 

and exhibited mental vigour to the last,

amidst great bodily debility and severe affliction. 

In social and domestic life he was holy and exemplary, 

full of mercy and good works: 

Yet in lowliness of mind, he renounced all dependance upon 

the excellencies which others saw and admired in him, 

and looked for eternal salvation through the 

obedience unto death of Christ.

He departed this life February 9, 1815, aged 48, 

At Broxbourne, in Hertfordshire; 

where he was superintending an edition of the Syriac Scriptures; 

and was buried near the remains of his amiable wife, 

whose virtues he has recorded on the adjoining stone.

They were lovely and pleasant in their lives,

and in their death they were not long divided.

Claudius Buchanan's Legacy Through Monumental Inscriptions

The grave inscriptions of Claudius Buchanan and his family at Little Ouseburn offer a profound reflection of their lives and enduring legacy. These memorials not only honor their deep Christian faith but also serve as a reminder of Buchanan's significant contributions to missionary work in India. His commitment to spreading the Gospel, even amidst personal and domestic suffering, is poignantly captured in these epitaphs. The inscriptions also highlight the loss of his wife, Mary, and their infant children, underscoring the deep personal sacrifices that marked Buchanan's life. These memorials, preserved in Little Ouseburn, continue to inspire visitors with their powerful messages of faith, perseverance, and devotion.