# The forgotten dead..



## strider8173 (Jul 28, 2012)

YOU'VE ALL HEARD OF THIS PLACE AND A POST WENT UP THE OTHER DAY ABOUT IT BUT I HAD TO VIST THIS PLACE FOR MYSELF. 
I FELT VERY SAD WHEN I WAS HERE, THE GRAVES JUST LEFT HIDDEN BY NETTLES, SOME BROKEN AND TOSSED ASIDE. HOW ANYONE CAN DESTORY A GRAVE SITE LIKE THAT IS DISCUSTING.​



​
THERES LOTS OF GHOST STORYS SURROUNDING THIS PLACE BUT ON THIS VIST THE ONLY SCARE WE HAD WAS LEGUP CLIMBING THE STAIRS. CLAUSTROPHOBIC.. 

ALTHO KNOWN AS COLD CHRISTMAS CHURCH, ITS CORRECT NAME IS LITTLE ST. MARY'S. ITS SITUATED IN TUNDRIDGE ALONG COLD CHRISTMAS LANE HENCE COLD CHRISTMAS CHURCH.






DATING TO 1086 THE CHURCH WAS PRIVATELY BUILT FOR THE FAMILY OF HUGH DE DESMAISNIL, SAID TO HAVE BEEN BUILD NORTH TO SOUTH INSTEAD OF THE EAST TO WEST ALIGNMENT COMMAN FOR MEDIEVIL CHURCHS IT WAS BELIEVED TO BE A SIGN OF THE DEVIL. 





THE CHURCH WAS PULLED DOWN IN 1853 AFTER A NEW CHURCH WAS CONSTRUCTED NEAR BY.

NOW ONLY THE TOWER AND GRAVEYARD REMAIN. 






STORIES ARE TOLD OF A MAUSOLEUM SOMEWHERE IN THE GRAVEYARD AND MASS GRAVES LIE UNDER WHERE THE OLD CHURCH ONCE STOOD






MANY OF THE PEOPLE BURIED HERE ARE YOUNG CHILDREN, TAKEN BY THE EXTREME COLD WEATHER DURING THE WINTERS





AND IT IS HERE THAT A BLACK FIGURE HAS BEEN SEEN WANDERING AMONST THE HEADSTONES






THE TOWER ORIGINALLY HELD FOUR BELLS, THESE WERE REMOVED AND GIVEN TO A NEW CHURCH AT WADESMILL.











THIS IS THE DOMAIN OF THE EVIL DEMONIC PRESENCE SAID TO STIKE FEAR INTO ANYONE WHO ENTERS..





A HIDDEN STAIR TAKES YOU UP TO WHERE THE BELLS ONCE HUNG.
















I FELT SAD IN THIS PLACE AND IT FELT WRONG THAT ALL THESE PEOPLE LIE FORGOTTEN. WHAT EVER GHOSTS HAUNT THIS PLACE THEY WERE ABSENT ON THIS DAY..​


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## UEP-Wales (Jul 28, 2012)

I really do love the look of this place and it's so sad that so many people are just forgotten about, only to be visited by the odd photographer and probably vandals and thieves.

You've taken some great pics and thank you very much for posting them up


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## flyboys90 (Jul 28, 2012)

Spooky!great photos.


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## Ninja Kitten (Jul 28, 2012)

what lovely photos...hope im never forgotten like this...so sad..thanks for posting this one.


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## freespirits (Jul 28, 2012)

great write up and lovely pics ,,,echo everyone else about the forgotten ones ,,nice staircase though


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## abel101 (Jul 28, 2012)

good to see cold christmas again! 
not alot has changed since my visit to be honest, the priests grave still inside the tower?
nice job.


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## strider8173 (Jul 28, 2012)

abel101 said:


> good to see cold christmas again!
> not alot has changed since my visit to be honest, the priests grave still inside the tower?
> nice job.



theres a number of grave stones in there all smashed and broken. very sad


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## abel101 (Jul 28, 2012)

if I remember correctly the priests gravestone was inside, and either his daughter or wife was smashed just outside the entrance hole.
You didnt have problems with your cameras or anything? if not your damn lucky, imagine taking pictures battery died, then go outside battery full, back inside you go up the stairs, battery died... same an same again.


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## strider8173 (Jul 28, 2012)

abel101 said:


> if I remember correctly the priests gravestone was inside, and either his daughter or wife was smashed just outside the entrance hole.
> You didnt have problems with your cameras or anything? if not your damn lucky, imagine taking pictures battery died, then go outside battery full, back inside you go up the stairs, battery died... same an same again.



no didnt have any issues with the battery or the camera, didnt see or hear anything other then the sheep, didnt feel a presence or anything ghostly. 
i just felt sad for the people buried and forgotten.


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## abel101 (Jul 28, 2012)

I was shocked when I walked up towards the tower, as so many of the graves where just left, uncared for and people walking their dogs didnt even blink an eyelide or glance at the place. Its a shame its just left I agree.


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## night crawler (Jul 28, 2012)

Good report on one of my favorite subjects. A lot of the time headstones brake, we had one go in our churchyard due to the frost and it fell on someone. I've been to many churchyards that still have parishioners and see broken headstones piled up and corners covered in weeds and nettles. Neglect seems to come with old churchyards.


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## HorZa (Jul 28, 2012)

Enjoyable read with some great photos. Looks such a sad place to be, such a shame that these places are ruined.


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## st33ly (Jul 28, 2012)

"AND IT IS HERE THAT A BLACK FIGURE HAS BEEN SEEN WANDERING AMONST THE HEADSTONES"

Ohh sorry that was me, sorry if I scared ya lol.


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## UE-OMJ (Jul 28, 2012)

Good report there, I should really head back there and go up the stairs - I didnt do them first time, the entrance was too small and claustrophobic for my liking


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## gingrove (Jul 28, 2012)

Don't worry about it we all get forgotten about sooner or later


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## steve2109 (Jul 29, 2012)

I used to live up the road from here, we always called it Thunderidge Old Church and its ghost stories were legendary ! On Haloween night now the police have to set up road blocks to stop people going up there, I am certain you used to able to get up the stairs to the first and second levels, I think they finally got blocked off as they became dangerous (I could be wrong).. nice to see a blast from my youth, thanks for the report


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## SeaThreePeeO (Aug 2, 2012)

Beautiful photographs. The more I visit and photograph old cemeteries the less I want to be buried.


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## RichardH (Aug 2, 2012)

strider8173 said:


> THIS IS THE DOMAIN OF THE EVIL DEMONIC PRESENCE SAID TO STIKE FEAR INTO ANYONE WHO ENTERS..



Phil Collins, actually, but the mistake is often made.


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## gushysfella (Aug 2, 2012)

Tbh not my thing but really enjoyed the pic's sad yes but interesting! Thanks for posting GF


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## Sshhhh... (Aug 2, 2012)

Its very sad, i think we all feel like this when we explore a place be it a forgotten manor house or a neglected farm, i like to think though that by taking a photograph im salvaging something, a memory and although i never knew the people or even what they looked like by being in the place and capturing it on camera, im saying you and the place you lived, are not forgotten. Thanks for sharing


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## Derelict-UK (Aug 2, 2012)

CAPS lock hurts my eyes 

An interesting place none-the-less. There are plenty of inner city cemeteries that are overgrown. A real pleasure to walk through them with the sun beating through the trees.

Thanks for sharing


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## SeaThreePeeO (Aug 2, 2012)

Sshhhh... said:


> Its very sad, i think we all feel like this when we explore a place be it a forgotten manor house or a neglected farm, i like to think though that by taking a photograph im salvaging something, a memory and although i never knew the people or even what they looked like by being in the place and capturing it on camera, im saying you and the place you lived, are not forgotten. Thanks for sharing



Sshhhh,I feel very much the same when I do my grave photography. For a moment they're remembered.


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