Accrington Web - St.James churchyard

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Re: St.James churchyard

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob (Post 953995)

What is wrong with maintaining the area as a place of quiet contemplation amid the bustle of the town?
What is so onerous about having to walk around it?

To walk upon a grave unknowingly is one thing. But to know and to do it anyway speaks volumes about the kind of society that we have become.

I quite agree with all these points - to me it is fine as it is and the seating already there is adequate. It is a nice leafy spot, perfect to while away a little time. I always go there when I come back to Accy before going in to have a wander in the library. There was no queue of people waiting to sit when I was last there -in fact I was quite alone...

I think there has been a shift in values and as life is no longer given that much respect these days then neither are the lives of those who came before us. Cheap'n'cheerful has replaced quality things that last and in the same way the dead are even more disposable -why waste valuable space on them, what right do they have to it...

I presume it would be for the Church of England to decide if work can go ahead and how it should be executed. The ground would surely have to be de-consecrated in order for it to have a different use to that which it was originally designated for...

Re: St.James churchyard

I'm slightly confused here. Were the actual graves under the gravestones on the path ? That being so, we have been walking over them for years, and still will be with the new plans.

What nicer, therefore, to move the gravestones,to the lovely spot they have suggested, under new trees and a profusion of daffodils, so that people can read about our ancestors in a lovely setting. Bet no-one ever read them when they were laid flat as a pathway. I know I didn't.

Re: St.James churchyard

Quote:

Originally Posted by katex (Post 954233)

I'm slightly confused here. Were the actual graves under the gravestones on the path ? That being so, we have been walking over them for years, and still will be with the new plans.
No the stones you walk on were covering graves in different parts of the church yard.
What nicer, therefore, to move the gravestones,to the lovely spot they have suggested, under new trees and a profusion of daffodils, so that people can read about our ancestors in a lovely setting. Bet no-one ever read them when they were laid flat as a pathway. I know I didn't.

I think they should be restored to their original positions.
Retlaw.

Re: St.James churchyard

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retlaw (Post 954235)

I think they should be restored to their original positions.
Retlaw.

Mmmmm ... I still feel it will attract more reflective interest in the new positions suggested. That's what history is all about, isn't it ?

Re: St.James churchyard

So, why were they moved to the paths in the first place ?
Were they considered unsafe in their original position ?

Re: St.James churchyard

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retlaw (Post 954235)

I think they should be restored to their original positions.
Retlaw.

I do too Retlaw! and I DID read all the laid flat headstones. If I was walking on them, i was curious enough to read what I was walking on! Many of the important folk from Accy are mentioned. They could even be OUR ancestors, its just that most folk havent delved far enough back into their past!

Re: St.James churchyard

I will, certainly, make an effort to visit and read the headstones now, Atarah, due to the fact that just recently my interest has been awakened in local history.

Still think, though, that where they are thinking of putting them is very respectful to them.

If some of the ground is sinking, then it may not be viable to put them back in their original position ?

Re: St.James churchyard

Quote:

Originally Posted by katex (Post 954298)

Sunken ground can be infilled and leveled off, then put the grave stones back, get some of those on so called community service to do some proper work for a change, & level it up.
Retlaw