What is this stone commemorating?

[pb_devon]

A family member has recently moved into a house in Leicestershire. In the garden they found this stone, lying loose in the undergrowth. The house dates from 1911, but my assumption is that it has been bought here more recently and there is no historical connection.
It has a wheatsheaf at the top, the initials EB, and the date 1754.
Surely it’s not a gravestone. Any ideas what it might commemorate? A boundary marker?
Thanks in advance of your answers.

[Ruskie]

Firstly I would look at what it is made from to determine if it has any age (or not). Is it cast or carved? Difficult to tell from the photo.

Looking at the broken bit at the top, it looks like cement so it might be new, but I really have no idea.

What size is it?

It could be a modern reproduction of an old stone. I have something similar - a souvenier from Salem (USA), but mine is tiny.

I’m sure there will be a rootschatter able to cast an expert eye over it.

[IMBER]

Parish boundaries were very often marked by boundary stones. These sometimes bore the date they were erected.

[Stanwix England]

I think it could be a gravestone or at least a replica of a grave stone.

I believe that the wheatsheaf was a common motif on gravestones. I've read that it was meant to represent a long life or prosperity and also is a sort of memento mori - we are all 'harvested' by the Lord eventually, sort of thing.

It could have been that someone moved it to reuse the stone, perhaps as a paving stone. Or if it's a fake, maybe it was someone's halloween decoration or something?

[arthurk]

Sometimes graves have a footstone as well as a headstone. The ones I've seen were a bit plainer than this, but typically they would have the initials and the year, corresponding to the fuller inscription on the headstone.

[Flattybasher9]

Stone query ??

Regards

Malky

[pb_devon]

Firstly I would look at what it is made from to determine if it has any age (or not). Is it cast or carved? Difficult to tell from the photo.

Looking at the broken bit at the top, it looks like cement so it might be new, but I really have no idea.

What size is it?

It could be a modern reproduction of an old stone. I have something similar - a souvenier from Salem (USA), but mine is tiny.

I’m sure there will be a rootschatter able to cast an expert eye over it.

Sorry should have said it’s about 3ft high and made of slate.

[pb_devon]

Thank you everyone for suggestions/ideas…all very plausible!

I’m currently favouring a (parish?) boundary….perhaps “East B?”

Without knowing any provenance it’s all guesswork.

Appreciate your input.

[Stanwix England]

When looking online, I noticed that the symbol of the parish of Countesthorpe seems to be a sheaf of wheat.

That's in Leicestershire, I believe. It wouldn't explain what the EB stands for though, perhaps East Boundary?