Gravestones with death dates of the early b1800s can be perfectly readable. Much depends of the type of stone used. Granite stones are very hard wearing, whereas sandstone ones are susceptible to flaking and you can lose an entire inscription. Many people could not afford a gravestone, and so are not recorded this way, but the parish register (OPR) might have a note of the burial: Usually just the name and date; nothing about relationships. Worst of all are stones which just contain initials and a year! Gordon Johnson.