One of the items arising from our last building condition report – which had been glowering at us from our never-ending to-do list for a little too long – was to move the headstones that were leaned up against the west outside wall of the church.
We believe that some of these may have been placed here at the time that the building was enlarged in 1839. Unfortunately, over the years they have been trapping water against the brickwork, leading to water penetrating some of the bricks and causing them to deteriorate.
A group of four of us (plus one sturdy sack trolley) spent two evenings of hard graft digging the headstones out, and moving them to a clear area at the south end of the burial ground. Some of them were easier to move than others. A few were very deeply embedded indeed and took a great deal of persuasion.
However I’m pleased to report that the job is now complete and the water damage to the bricks should now be halted.
