In the serene churchyard of St Mary the Virgin Parish Church, in the village of Friston on England’s south coast is a small but poignant wooden cross. Its unpretentious, unadorned, design is simple yet striking, for it’s boldly inscribed with the phrase “Washed Ashore,” an indicator of the tragic story of the grave’s occupant. The story behind the cross is as heartbreaking as it is mysterious. A product of the church’s proximity to the sea, it’s said that the cross was erected to honor the memory of a sailor who…
