# St Gregory's Churchyard, Seaton, Devon - June 2011



## Foxylady (Jun 26, 2011)

The extensive grounds belonging to St Gregory's Church comprise three tiers. The grounds immediately around the church are well-tended with just a few graves on the grass to three sides, the east side containing several modern-day graves along with a smattering of the oldest ones.

The other two tiers are on sloping ground to the west, between the church green and the main road.This part has been abandoned and left to become derelict.

I was walking along the road one day when I noticed that the churchyard was full of ox-eye daisies. Totally besotted with them, I went back a couple of days later with my camera, which was when I realised how derelict this part of the churchyard is. Apologies in advance for the amount of photos. I spent a couple of hours there, went away to do something else then went back later in the day to take more. Needless to say, I had too many pics to choose from. 







One of the things that struck me, is that the graves aren't all that old. The dates are mostly between 1910 and the late 1950s. The headstones themselves weren't all that interesting either...no unusual decoration or inscriptions...but it was very peaceful and delightful amongst the flowers.











Further on in and the graves were packed together closely with small strips of concrete walkways between them.











It was at this point that I looked down and realised that most of them had caved in due to subsidence. Even some of the concrete paths had broken up with gaping holes in the earth beneath. Cue an Edgar Alan Poe moment of sheer horror! At which point I made a very careful and hasty retreat. lol





















I found another, grassy and more stable path around to take more pics. Sorry there's so many...I was entranced with it, in a horrified sort of way.
















In the photo below can be seen how the subsidence has caused the headstones to lean all over the place. Many of them have toppled over and have been lain upon the graves.






The grave on the right, with the rather sorry-looking seagull on the top, belongs to a twenty-year old young lady who fell from the cliffs whilst pursuing her hobby of natural history, which is very sad.






The next two were also poignant, as they belong to two Czechoslovakian soldiers who were billeted here during WW2.






Over in the shady side running along the north side of the church. On the church side the grounds are well tended but have been left neglected on the other side of the path.





















At the bottom end of the churchyard, headstones have been stood up along the hedge.






Hope you enjoyed and thanks for looking.


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## RichardH (Jun 27, 2011)

Always a pleasure reading your reports, Ms Foxylady, ma'am.

It's common for churches to let parts of their graveyard(s) go wild, as 'twere, to encourage wildlife and reduce maintenance costs. Quite odd for it to happen where the graves are only 60 years old though, I would have thought.

And my inner solicitor is telling me that they're opening themselves up to civil action, if parts of the older graveyards are subsiding, unless there are very clear signs at all the entry points warning of it.


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## Foxylady (Jun 27, 2011)

Why thankyou, dear Sir. 

I didn't realise that it was usual practice to let part of a churchyard to go derelict. It makes sense, though. And, as for your inner solicitor...you'd have a field day down here! I live not far from the church and a buildings engineer recently told me that, due to the tides and water table, my building ever so slightly moves up with the land then down again, which is why I have numerous cracks in the plaster.  One good thing though, at least I'm not on the flood plain where the new tesco store is being built. Hopefully it'll be derelict in no time! :evil:

Cheers, Richard.


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## Janey68 (Jun 27, 2011)

I loved your pics they are beautiful........the flowers make it seem a very peaceful place. It is a shame about the subsidence. I'm down that way in a few weeks, may go have a peep...


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## Foxylady (Jun 27, 2011)

Thankyou very much for your lovely comments, Janey. If you'd like any more info just send me a pm. Hope you enjoy it if you visit.


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## eggbox (Jun 27, 2011)

Great stuff, Foxy; scary about the graves caving in, and good, if sad, story about the seagull


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## Neosea (Jun 27, 2011)

Seaton just keeps on giving


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## RichardH (Jun 27, 2011)

Neosea said:


> Seaton just keeps on giving



Yes, but it's also an evil place. I once spent half an hour trying to find the way out of it in the car, and all the roads seemed to lead back to the town centre. Those people you see? The ones who look pale and drawn, and shamble around without obvious purpose? They're the ones who didn't escape.


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## krela (Jun 27, 2011)

RichardH said:


> Those people you see? The ones who look pale and drawn, and shamble around without obvious purpose? They're the ones who didn't escape.



Nah, they've just spent all night in The Grove...


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## smiler (Jun 27, 2011)

Nice one Foxy.


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## Foxylady (Jun 27, 2011)

eggbox said:


> Great stuff, Foxy; scary about the graves caving in, and good, if sad, story about the seagull


If I remember correctly, she was looking at sea birds at their nesting place when she fell. 
Cheers for your lovely comments, Eggbox.


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## Foxylady (Jun 27, 2011)

Neosea said:


> Seaton just keeps on giving





RichardH said:


> Yes, but it's also an evil place. I once spent half an hour trying to find the way out of it in the car, and all the roads seemed to lead back to the town centre. Those people you see? The ones who look pale and drawn, and shamble around without obvious purpose? They're the ones who didn't escape.


That sounds just like Chard! 



krela said:


> Nah, they've just spent all night in The Grove...


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## Foxylady (Jun 27, 2011)

smiler said:


> Nice one Foxy.


Cheers, Smiler.


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## Neosea (Jun 27, 2011)

Foxylady said:


> That sounds just like Chard!



The cry of "Fresh Meat!" still rings in my ears from that pit stop in Chard


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## Foxylady (Jun 27, 2011)

Neosea said:


> The cry of "Fresh Meat!" still rings in my ears from that pit stop in Chard


Not to mention the cry of "Brains"!


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## Neosea (Jun 27, 2011)

Foxylady said:


> Not to mention the cry of "Brains"!



Luckily we didn't pack any that day so made it out... Narrow escape all the same


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## highcannons (Jun 27, 2011)

"There are moments when, even to the sober eye of Reason, the world of our sad Humanity may assume the semblance of a Hell -- but the imagination of man is no Carathis, to explore with impunity its every cavern. Alas! the grim legion of sepulchral terrors cannot be regarded as altogether fanciful -- but, like the Demons in whose company Afrasiab made his voyage down the Oxus, they must sleep, or they will devour us -- they must be suffered to slumber, or we perish."

- from "The Premature Burial" Edgar Allan Poe


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## Foxylady (Jun 27, 2011)

Neosea said:


> Luckily we didn't pack any that day so made it out...


Speak for yourself! 



highcannons said:


> "There are moments when, even to the sober eye of Reason, the world of our sad Humanity may assume the semblance of a Hell -- but the imagination of man is no Carathis, to explore with impunity its every cavern. Alas! the grim legion of sepulchral terrors cannot be regarded as altogether fanciful -- but, like the Demons in whose company Afrasiab made his voyage down the Oxus, they must sleep, or they will devour us -- they must be suffered to slumber, or we perish."
> 
> - from "The Premature Burial" Edgar Allan Poe


Love the quote, High. Cheers.


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