Author Topic: Protecting our gravestones and memorials  (Read 14708 times)

Offline justmej

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Re: Protecting our gravestones and memorials
« Reply #27 on: Thursday 14 May 09 23:41 BST (UK) »
Something that caught my attention earlier this evening on TV, was the story of a couple selling their home, which had once been the village church where some of my ancestors were baptised.

While they have obviously turned it into a lovely comfortable home (if you fancy living in a former church that is ;D), it still has the original external 'church' appearance and comes complete with graveyard.  Some headstones are obviously still in their original place, but permission was given for others to be moved and these now stand alongside a wall. :o

Anyone wanting to visit the graveyard now, must make a prior appointment with the owners (apparently it's not a problem as they usually only get a couple of queries each year and that's mainly from people doing their family tree ;))... and how upsetting it must be to any visitors, who find their family headstone moved and no longer with the grave. :'(

justmej
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Offline Andi R

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Re: Protecting our gravestones and memorials
« Reply #28 on: Friday 15 May 09 21:54 BST (UK) »
I know a few places where the stones have been moved around to the edges often to make the area into a "garden" such as St Nicholas's gardens at Whitehaven where I live, it looks okay and is a quiet area in the middle of the town but all the gravestones have been laid face up and now so worn as people walk over them

Its called progess I think, mind you when they done this they lost a very important grave and stone that of George Washington's maternal Grandmother

As Homer Simpson says "Duh"

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Offline norfolkandgood

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Re: Protecting our gravestones and memorials
« Reply #29 on: Friday 15 May 09 22:13 BST (UK) »
Upkeep of graveyards seems to be a national problem, certainly in England.
It would appear to be an ideal occupation for those sentenced to community service?   

Offline GRACELAND

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Re: Protecting our gravestones and memorials
« Reply #30 on: Friday 05 June 09 15:19 BST (UK) »
Yes surly there could be a plan set up  to clear them up

alot of them would only need a good strim (petrol strimmer)over a couple of times a year
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Offline maidmarion

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Re: Protecting our gravestones and memorials
« Reply #31 on: Saturday 06 June 09 12:51 BST (UK) »
Hi :)
It is so sad that often nonconformist chapels are sold off with devastating results. :'(
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6335935.stm
My great and 2x great grandparents were buried in the chapel mentioned on this link.

My great grandfather was a renowned preacher within the local Wesleyan circuit and had a wonderful column erected on his grave at what must have been great expense to a leadminers family. He was re-interred at the local cemetery along with both my great grandmother and his first wife.

A small sign was placed at the new site saying the date the re-interrment took place but does not list the people who had been moved from their previous resting place.   :-\

Offline toby webb

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Re: Protecting our gravestones and memorials
« Reply #32 on: Saturday 06 June 09 16:17 BST (UK) »
I sympatise with Maidmarion. Near Bucks Cross, ( Clovelly ) is a chapel turned house and the foundation stones with their carvings have been chipped away. Only window shapes etc. tell what that building was originally. Very sad.
Toby.