St. Johns Churchyard Wakefield

[DonM]

Does anyone know what happened to the burial ground at the church?  A circa 1900 photo which I saw 10 or so years ago showed a vibrant cemetery with large memorials and lots of upright stones.  Now only a handful and few in the ground. 

I sent the church warden an email he didn't know, the Museum/Library no idea and the Heritage or local Council haven't responded.

Did they remove these for safety reasons?

Don

[Guy Etchells]

I came to Wakefield in the early 70s and give or take a couple of stones the graveyard was like that then. It is very possible that the stones were removed in the 50s early 60s when a number of churchyards removed stones to enable mechanical mowing.
There should be something in the church records as the removal would require a faculty.
Cheers
Guy

[dobfarm]

  Hi,

Usually (Not always) readable epitaph inscriptions are recorded of the removed head or flats stones and held in the local library or archive. Wakefield archives or History Centre (Its new name) most likely is the best place to contact first or they could advise on other repositories who may hold such information in the area like Leeds or Bradford (WYAS for both aforesaid archives) or Huddersfield/Halifax as it does not always follow that the nearest or local archives automatically will hold local historical documentations. (As saying goes "far from it")

[DonM]

Thank you both.

I think this will will require a visit. 

Don