Seeking any information to explain why a grave for "Clara COY" should be in an overgrown churchyard at the back of a John Lewis store in Chichester.
There's a fairly new retail park on the eastern edge of Chichester, West Sussex. I pulled my car into the overflow car-park at the back and parked in the far corner. Got out and was astonished to see a standing gravestone right up against the new kerb installed by the builders who'd made the shopping centre. It seemed to have survived because it was almost underneath a tree they'd decided not to dig out.
I looked beyond the gravestone and found some tangled wasteland and some other neglected graves. A surreal situation - this old graveyard, invaded by a new retail park.
"Our dear mother, Clara Coy" says the stone.
Who was she? Why is she buried here? Who were her children who erected this stone?
I can't yet locate any Clara (who presumably married 'Coy') who was buried in West Sussex.
I'm estimating the date to be perhaps late 19th or early 20th century, given the age of the stone.
Possibly associated with a 'Charles', given some of the other wording.
Can you help shed any light?
Thank you
