I previously posted about visiting and photographing St. Mary The Virgin Church here. The photographs were from ten years ago when the church seemed to be cared for by the local parish or diocese but I noticed a change when I drove past in January 2022. The small car park area at the front had been blocked off with boulders and an advert for a local business took centre stage at the front. Harras fencing was around the building and the information boards that previously gave the history of the site were filthy and uncared for. I wrote to the Rector of the functioning local church, Revd Sandra Marsh, and she advised me that ownership had passed to English Heritage. I contacted English Heritage via their website but unfortunately didn’t get a reply.
Find A Grave hold 848 memorials for graves at this site and whilst only eighteen are photographed I still managed to find another visiting today where autumn has caused the bushes to recede exposing gravestones. In addition to the outstanding research there is at least one grave that is actively mourned, that of #226873 Pioneer William James Matcham of The Royal Engineers.
It is such a shame that this site is being left and the gravestones and ruin are at risk of further damage.
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