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  • Charnel House

    Was reading an article today about Highgate Cemetery ,which they said will be running out of room soon, they then mentioned Charnel Houses, seems they used to deposit Bones from Graves in them.
    I had never heard of them ,dont know how many of you have.


  • #2
    Not heard of Charnel Houses. It's good a bit of history is being preserved.

    I do recall when looking for some of your ancestors and reading up on graveyards (as you do to while away the hours), that some graves were in a very bad way with parts in view.

    Could have been a problem for the future but I note that cremation appears to be preferred now.

    Vera

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    • #3
      I had an aunt who died in Italy and when we inquired about a grave we were told that all bones would be removed from graves of 30 years old and put into a Charnel House so that the graves could be reused. We visited the Charnel House attached to the cemetery which was just a chapel over the bones but not heard of it in the UK. There wee no inscriptions as to who was buried there . I think it is a continental practice but not sure about UK.

      Janet
      Last edited by Janet; 16-10-18, 15:39.

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      • #4
        I dont have a problem with re-using Graves more than say 100 years old, especially when the families may still be alive, wouldn't like to think they would do that to my Mum.
        Suppose in years to come, it will be cremation, whether you like it or not.

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        • #5
          Thing is, Val, you usually get the option to purchase more years but of course most families have dispersed after about 30 years. My dad's grave is only for 25 years with no option to renew at all.

          OC

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          • #6
            According to The Daily Telegraph, they want to cancel Burial rights bought in the 19th century and never used, this would provide between 400-600 plots.
            Wonder why they were never used, maybe when they died, the people around did not know they had plots.

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            • #7
              Charnel houses were often used in England in the medieval ages .......

              ....... something I learnt by reading medieval mysteries by authors such as Susanna Gregory, Alys Clare, Ellis Peters, etc :D
              My grandmother, on the beach, South Bay, Scarborough, undated photo (poss. 1929 or 1930)

              Researching Cadd, Schofield, Cottrell in Lancashire, Buckinghamshire; Taylor, Park in Westmorland; Hayhurst in Yorkshire, Westmorland, Lancashire; Hughes, Roberts in Wales.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Val wish Id never started View Post
                According to The Daily Telegraph, they want to cancel Burial rights bought in the 19th century and never used, this would provide between 400-600 plots.
                Wonder why they were never used, maybe when they died, the people around did not know they had plots.
                Yes this is an interesting one because my Great Grandfather and my Grandfather are both buried in plots in different parts of the country and both graves had room for other halves but were not taken up. Grt Grandfather is buried in a London Cemetery without a headstone and with room in the grave but I have never been able to trace the death and burial of his wife. She has a common name and might have died in another part of the country whilst staying with one of her children?

                My Grandfather in my father's dide was buries in a Southampton Grave without a headstone and with room hor his wife was not taken up. I have had difficulty in finding a death for his wife but think I maty have found a death in London during the war years and as she had family living in London that is a possibility. So there are many reasons why graves are unfilled.

                Janett

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Val wish Id never started View Post
                  According to The Daily Telegraph, they want to cancel Burial rights bought in the 19th century and never used, this would provide between 400-600 plots.
                  Wonder why they were never used, maybe when they died, the people around did not know they had plots.
                  Last week, I went to my uncles's funeral (he was 97). It was in the same, Morden in Surrey, cemetery where my grandfather was buried (which I didn't know until later that day when we took the flowers down to the grave.)

                  Hidden in my uncle's papers was the certificate to say that my grandmother had purchased a 100 year double plot there in 1949. She later moved to Hove where she died in 1993. Nobody is sure whether Alan knew about the plot before he arranged her cremation in Hove. As there are 3 other surviving children they are going to be able to claim the plot and renew it for a further 99 years.

                  Alan's ashes are going in as will his wife and any of the rest of the descendants who wish to - my father's won't be going in as he is determined to have his ashes buried at sea.
                  Caroline
                  Caroline's Family History Pages
                  Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

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                  • #10
                    It must happen a lot Caroline, my Father isn't buried in the Grave purchased for him either, supposed to have gone in the same one as my Mother , but a complete stranger buried him, long story, his Birth Date is wrong too on his Death Cert, because she guessed it.

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