Gravestones for sale!!!????

[stoney]

It seems a shame to sell off the old stones (I presume it has not been possible to trace any living decendents to ask their views/permission?) but perhaps someone might appreciate the stonemason's skills, or seeing the names and events the stones recorded would at least make you think about the person they represented.

Better than being crushed up and turned into hardcore, I suppose   

[Lynn H]

Hi, I haven't been around for a while as i'm not so well, but to come back to see this is awful. It really infuriates me that people can do things like that. I just don't know what to say as i'm fuming.

I do hope you will take Toni's advice and sign my petition, together we can make a difference, I HOPE !!!


                          Thank you.
                            Lynn

[Lydart]

Its true that sometimes old churches (often the newer ones, e.g. Victorian) become damp, crumbling and unsafe ... andwhat else can you do except demolish (and hopefully start again ?)   In many cases, the congregations have dwindled away to no people at all. 

But graves are, IMHO, another matter ... some years ago we had to put in a septic tank in the churchyard, and this meant disturbing some old graves; this had to be done with a Home Office license, by approved persons or contractors, and the remains we found were reburied with dignity elsewhere in the churchyard. 

I wonder if the builders in this case are aware of these regulations?


HOWEVER, its as Stoney says ... 'church' can be anywhere; its not the building.  'Church' can be in someones house, a school room, a hall, or even the pub !

[poppysmum]

Have seen it all now!! .......

http://www.salvo.co.uk/forsale.html?key=grave

4th item for sale .......

Sarah

 

[toni*]

i realise that unsafe buildings need to be taken down, however couldn't the material be salvaged and then rebuilt using same, usually a maximum of 70% material is salvageable.and even if the Church was unsafe that doesn't explain the selling off of the gravestones.
ridiculous i say

[Lydart]

Toni, I agree in principle ... but having a builder son in law, he says that the man hours cost of reclaiming materials is often not cost effective in rebuilding a place. 

But selling the gravestones for paving ... I am speechless !

[aghadowey]

At least it's better than what a nearby Parish Church has done with unclaimed gravestones- throw them over the wall into the river so it now looks like a giant stone jigsaw puzzle down there.

[Lydart]

I'm horrified ... didn't the church PCC get consulted ?  Or the local diocese ?

When I think that we have to get permission before we can even put in a nail to hold a notice board, I'm really surprised that a church was allowed to do that.

What do the local river authority have to say ?   

I think a strong letter to your local paper is in order !

[Wendi]

I'm horrified ... didn't the church PCC get consulted ?  Or the local diocese ?

It's all in the dosh    If they wait long enough everyone has forgotten and they just brush it aside with a machine.

Wendi