After a family excursion to the White Clay Creek preserve last Sunday, my family stopped at the London Tract Friends Meeting in Landenberg, Pennsylvania, to visit our local spooky grave, The Ticking Tomb.
It’s been years since my husband and I have visited this cemetery, although I wrote a blog post about the place back in the winter. You can read the story behind The Ticking Tomb here.
We weren’t even sure which tomb was the right one, at first. I had planned on calling up the information on the Droid when we got there, but once on the property I had no bars. NO BARS! It was a DEAD ZONE. Get it? That would have been spooky, if not for the fact that almost all of Landenberg is a dead zone.
So, we just had to wander around until I recognized it – and I did, finally. It was the flat stone inscribed only with the initials R.C., next to the oddly shaped heart headstone. Gina swears that she could hear a slow ticking sound when she pressed her ear to the stone.
Gabbey the Skeptic says no way.
Sorcia was more interested in the treats in Gina’s hand.
Me? Oh, I didn’t listen. I just took the pictures. I’d prefer not to confirm or deny this legend. I just like to wonder about it.
P.S. The mysterious Ticking Tomb is not the only interesting grave in this cemetery. Look at this headstone for Lillie Russell, Beloved Daughter. Have you ever seen one like this before?
P.P.S. Marcy Hatch, my wonderful first beta reader for the Caged Graves, has a review for Struts and Frets (which she won in my 100 Blog Follower Contest) and an interview with Jon Skovron (whom I met at PAYA 2010) on her blog today. Jon’s a riot and a half, and I suggest you check out the interview!
Love the Ticking Tomb story! In fact, I love visiting old cemeteries (in the daytime). They seem so peaceful somehow, and full of stories just waiting to be discovered.
So is this how you get your ideas? strolling around cemeteries? There was one I used to walk at lunch in Waldoboro and I remember seeing the graves for 5 children from the same family who all died within a few years of one another. Strange and spooky. Maybe the dead do speak to us, if we would just listen.
and thanks for the plug:)
hi miss dianne! i went and read that ticking tomb story. pretty cool. yikes! it could be really hard to swallow a pocket watch. that tomb could be a really good commercial for that watch that says takes a licking and keep on ticking or for the ever ready bunny. ha ha.
…hugs from lenny
Ooh, what a great trip! Spooky and memorable and fun all at the same time. I love the pics too!