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  • Gravestone disappeared?

    Late last year I discovered some graves with one of our family names in our local churchyard, one had a very unusual forename and I dismissed it as being related to me. But so much family history has been uncovered this year, I now know the stone related to my family, so I went back to have another look and to photo the gravestone for my records, only to find the stone and others surrounding it had all gone!
    It was a fine ornate stone memorial, taller than myself with lovely deep engraved lettering, it wasn't dangerous in any way, it wasn't leaning, was in good condition and stable, so why has it been taken up along with the others?
    The churchyard is very well kept, but I did notice a wide line of the turf dug and resettled all the way from the church to the middle of the churchyard within the path of my ancestor's grave.

    I have many questions as I am so outraged by this 'legal' desecration of graveyards!
    Did they lay a water/mains line I wonder and had to go through the grave sites?
    Or are they reusing the graves for new graves?
    What happened to my ancestor's gravestone? Couldn't they have re-sited it along the wall of the churchyard as others have been re-sited over the years?

    Needless to say I am so annoyed and I am kicking myself that I didn't get it on record before this happened. Who do I go to for answers?

    Twiglet.
    Twiglet

  • #2
    As you say "churchyard", I am assuming this is a consecrated C 0f E burial ground?

    Your best bet is to contact the church wardens, who, on behalf of the incumbent, are the custodians of the churchyard. Are you sure notice of intent of work wasn't previously posted at the church, and sometimes in the local press? I'm sure they will be able to explain the situation to you. You say its "local" - so do you know who the wardens are? If not, see if their names & contact details are posted up in the church, or do a google search for the church and I'm sure one of the sites will give details of the wardens.
    Sometimes stones need to be moved and although wardens try to inform next of kin, this is often impossible for them. Village communities have changed so much in recent years - 30 years ago members of the congregation at our church could have given details and whereabouts of a next of kin for everyone at rest in the churchyard. Not so now - there are very few of us "natives" left and the incomers (all claiming to be very clever and in high powered employment) wouldn't dream of losing face by asking we bumpkins for something that they don't know!
    Jay

    ETA - perhaps they've had a new heating system, with the requirement for a sunken tank? Perhaps there are plans to reinstate the gravestones at a later date, or to place them near the wall?
    Last edited by Janet in Yorkshire; 07-04-15, 11:29.
    Janet in Yorkshire



    Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

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    • #3
      The details of the stones may have been recorded by the local history society. Often the lists are lodged with the county Archives, so that might be worth investigating. Or the local FHS may sell booklets of memorial inscriptions.

      Maybe a new toilet has been installed in the church? That's the case at one of the churches I ring at.

      Anne
      Last edited by Anne in Carlisle; 07-04-15, 12:59.

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      • #4
        The above happened to me - I had seen the gravestone when I was a lot younger and had, at that time, no interest in family research. I now live not too far from where I saw that gravestone and went back a couple of years ago to find and photo - no sign of any grave or headstone.
        There was a local history Forum and I asked them about it and I found out I could get the plot number etc from the crematorium! (the relative had not been cremated) and I was told there was someone else apparently buried with her and I was given the name! Research now shows that this was a son I knew nothing of and she was buried with him 8 years after his death - I don't remember his name being on the headstone. I believe the local Forum may have listed graves but not sure if there are photos. With the plot number I searched the graveyard and the grave is no longer there. The graveyard, however, was not attached to a church...............the frustrating thing is that I DID take a photo of the grave all those years ago but cannot for the life of me find the photo.
        On the upside for you, however, it is possible the headstone was resited within the churchyard - I had one of those also and it was the Churchwarden who told me he had been moved when his wife died (he was known, as I assume all others were in the small village, to the locals, plus he had been Churchwarden himself at the church. I also met a lady in the churchyard "visiting her husband" who had known him well and known other members of the family - amazing piece of the luck there!
        I also think you should start with the Churchwarden.

        Sue

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