There are Hiley/Highley graves scattered all around Calderdale, and in many of the graveyards there is just a single grave. One such is in the graveyard of St Mary's Church, Cottonstones, Sowerby.
The Hiley grave reference at Cottonstones is CK21 - Section C, Row K, No. 21. A plan of the graveyard is available and Section C was identified from it - the large area south-west of the church adjoining Salt Drake Lane, and to the left of the church in the photo above. Row K is the last but one row walking away from the church. The row numbers go from 1 to 26.
Calderdale Family History Society has transcribed all the monumental inscriptions in the graveyard. Starting from the end of the row, no. 26 is a flat stone. nos. 25 and 24 are gaps. Nos. 23 and 22 are upright stones. No. 21 is the Hiley grave. Then there are two gaps, a flat stone and two more gaps.
But there appeared to be no flat stone at no. 21. Had the transcribers made a mistake? Had the stone become damaged and removed? No - the stone was there in the correct place but a rhododendron bush had grown over it and many years of rotting leaves and encroaching grass had completely covered the stone and its lettering.
Although not having the wherewithal to manage a proper cleaning of the stone it was still possible to remove enough of the debris to show that the correct inscription had been revealed.
In Memory of / Hannah Daughter of / James and Susanna Hiley / of Lower Oak in Sowerby / Who died April 26th 1854 / Aged 3 Yrs. & 3 Mths / Also James Hiley Father of the / above who departed this life / Septr. 26th 1872 aged 53 Yrs. / Also Martha Ellen Daughter of / William & Ann Haigh of Halifax / and Granddaughter of the above / Who died Feby. 11th 1874 / Aged 9 Yrs. & 5 Mths. / Also Susanna Wife of the above / James Hiley who died Nov. 22nd 1896 Aged 84 Yrs.
James Hiley was born in Halifax in 1819, one of the 11 children of Thomas and Mary (nee Feather). His ancestors can be traced back to David Hiley of Warley, born in about 1700.
James married Susanna Wild (nee Denton) in 1849. Susanna already had 2 children, Ann and Martha, and she had a further daughter with James - Martha Hannah, who died aged 3 and is commemorated on the gravestone.
The family lived at Lower Oak in Sowerby. James worked as a Woolcomber and later as an Engine Tenter in a Worsted Mill.
Ann Wild, Susanna's daughter, married William Haigh and their daughter Martha Ellen is the other child buried in this grave.
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