Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikejoe
As a keen historian I am disappointed and extremely bemused at the seemingly callous way that grave stones from former church yards have been removed. I understand that in the recent past St James Parish church in Accrington ended its burial policy and its former residents [corpses] were transferred to Christchurch; with the exception of a handful. Records describe the remains being in the church's vault but I have asked people who attend the church and ministers where it is and they say there is no vault. An old Accrington newspaper report states that most of the coffins were in good repair and able to be relocated. Only one, that of thomas Hargreaves was broken and that was re-encased and remained in the vault where it lay! Look at any old photos of the church and you can see the number of gravestones there used to be at St James.
The same applies to Christchurch. I find it unbelievable that the graves were uprooted and a children's playground created over the area 
When I broached the subject with the present minister he was very quick to say that everything was done according to the law and that records of the deceased would have been transferred to Lancashire County records office in Preston. What gets me is the fact that the funds for building churches like Christchurch came from generous benefactors whose memory and munificence one would expect to be respected. Having no doubt paid a fee to be buried in the church's grave yard, simply because they no longer have any family left in the vicinity they feel they can discard them as they please. OK, so the records may be at Lancashire County records office but where are the headstones? Had they have been left around the edges of the church grounds at least ancestors looking for past relatives could see some evidence of their existence on site. I just think the churches have acted disgracefully and without any respect for their former benefactors and church members.
Again, as with St James, on old photos of Christchurch you can see the number of grave stones towards the rear of the church, where the play area is now but where would they have gone? Surely not destroyed |
Well if the gravestones have gone so have the graves, which would suggest they were moved together
