The tomb of Mary Haddock, mother of Admiral Richard Haddock, thought to have served as an inspiration for Belgian cartoonist Hergé, has been listed as a historic monument, the UK government agency Historic England announced on Wednesday.
Mary Haddock's tomb is "remarkable as a unique monument to a woman in a period of gender inequality," Historic England wrote in its statement.
Admiral Haddock is believed to have inspired the character of the ill-tempered Captain Haddock in Herge's 'Adventures of Tintin.' Like Richard Haddock, the captain imagined by Hergé was a sailor.
An impulsive man with a penchant for whisky and a reputation for swearing, he is often described as the best-loved character in Hergé's 'Adventures of Tintin.'
Mary Haddock's tomb is one of "17 remarkable and unusual historic buildings and places" just listed as sites to be protected by Historic England, which is responsible for safeguarding England's heritage.
The grave of Richard Haddock's grandfather, William Goodland, has also been added to the list of historic monuments.
Other additions this year include a Baptist church in Bristol, in the south-west of England, that houses a supermarket on the ground floor.
Historic England has listed the 1960s building as a "striking example of post-war church architecture."
This annual listing is intended to highlight heritage sites little known to the general public that are original.
