Ludlow (Old) Cemetary- worst cemetary?

[burlington]

I refer to my earlier posting here asking if Ludlow (Old) Cemetary was the worst one.

Ludlow contains 5 CWGC graves of which I only found 2, and the place is in a very poor state. I have now had a long and comprehensive reponse from David Symons, CWGC, to an email I sent to the CWGC.

I thought the Forum might like to see it:

<I>

I write with reference to your e-mail of 30 December 2004 and to thank you for taking the time to contact this office over your concerns. I apologise for the delay in replying as well as the length on my reply! I am aware of the problems at this site having visited it in September 2004 as part of an ongoing project to assess the general condition of burial grounds within the UK where we have a war graves commitment. It might be useful to give you an overview of this project so that my specific remarks made later about the problems at Ludlow can be placed into some kind of context.

There are some 13,231 burial grounds within the Commission?s UK Area (this includes the UK, Republic of Ireland & Iceland) where we have a war graves commitment. Outside of a number of locations, (Brookwood, Cambridge and Harrogate) where similar factors as those at our sites overseas apply and where we are able to achieve comparable standards of maintenance, the majority of sites come under a variety of control.

Some war casualties are buried in parish churchyards, others in municipal cemeteries whilst a number, mainly in large urban areas, are contained in burial grounds owned by private companies. Some war burials are located in formal small plots within larger cemeteries, some in private graves marked by private memorials and others located randomly throughout cemetery grounds. In many of these locations the Commission does not have any more right of access than anyone else or any authority to carry out maintenance in its own right. Any work we undertake has to be agreed by a third party (usually the controlling authority) and we have to operate within any constraints they wish to place upon that work. Most of our work is undertaken by contractors and we have numerous agreements with local councils and churches for the maintenance of the war graves.

In recent years it has become apparent that a number of burial grounds are suffering from indifferent maintenance. Indeed it was against such a background that a Parliamentary Committee was established in 2000 to evaluate, amongst other items, the condition of existing cemeteries, their management and protection and their funding and economic viability. The Commission has for the past two years undertaken a project to assess the condition of burial grounds, where we have a war graves commitment. The assessment is based upon the maintenance of the whole site not just that we may have established for war graves alone. It is anticipated that this project will be completed this year. To date the vast majority of sites assess, some 90% were assessed as ?acceptable?. A small minority, approximately 1.2% was deemed to be ?unacceptable?. Ludlow Old Cemetery is one of these ?unacceptable? sites.

Ludlow Old Cemetery has been closed to burials for over 4O years and the church was sold of some 25 years ago. In 1973 a faculty was issued authorising clearance of memorials and the creation of a park under local authority control. Problems over transfer of ownership prevented this from taking place but the church was sold and is now a bookshop/printers. In the 1980s part of the site was cleared by NACRO but it remained very overgrown.

The PCC still are responsible for the churchyard. In 1995 discussions were held with Shropshire Wildlife Trust, the Shropshire Hills Countryside Unit and the PCC the aim being to form a management plan for the site for ?the benefit of wildlife and people?. In 2000 the PCC rejected a bid by a property developer for part of the cemetery. During a visit in 2004 the site was found to be very overgrown and disappointing. Main pathways are kept cleared and in certain areas picnic tables are provided. A general notice board advertises the nature park credentials of the site. Off the pathways the vegetation is very dense making it very difficult if not impossible to find graves.

Under these circumstances it is difficult for the Commission, who has an interest in just five graves within the cemetery, to address the problem of the cemetery as a whole. Our main priority is to ensure that the graves remain marked (which they are if not always accessible) and are not at risk of disturbance, which they are not. However, the form of commemoration of the war dead is highly unsatisfactory. We are therefore looking to alternatively commemorating all the five war dead on a new small memorial at the entrance of the cemetery, which is accessible and in a comparatively well maintained area. We are currently in contact with the PCC over this initiative.</I>

In a further email in response to the 3 graves I could not find, David said:

<I>

During the visit I made in September we found all but one of the graves. The only grave not seen was located in the most dense of vegetation and we did not have the equipment (strimmers and secateurs) to forge a path through. Not all are marked by Commission pattern marker but some are marked by private memorial and are not as easily recognizable.

</I>

Martin

[Annette Burgoyne]

Hi Martin

Off the pathways the vegetation is very dense making it very difficult if not impossible to find graves.

I can confirm this, me and my little girl went on an expedition through the grounds trying to find my great great grans grave. It was so overgrown that my little one got a bit worried about getting back out of the place. In one way I love the place as it is, great for wild life but sad for the War Graves. Commemorating all the five war dead on a new small memorial at the entrance is a good idea but still ashame that this as to be done. I for one would not like to see all the overgrowth cut back but if all five war graves could be pointed out to me. I would be more then willing to go in the summer months and help keep overgrowth away from them.

Annette

[burlington]

Annette

As you now I only found 2 plus a private memorial.

I really would like to find the others, but even the CWGC are stumped by one of them.

Martin

[Terry Denham]

even the CWGC are stumped by one of them.

Martin

I don't think David was stumped in the sense that he could not find the grave's location but in the sense that he could not get at it due to the dense undergrowth.

By the sounds of it, this cemetery needs a small JCB to assist the war grave seeker

[Annette Burgoyne]

Martin do you know who are PCC mentioned in David's reply to you. ? Do not want to go cutting down things without asking permission first. Also do you have refs. for the three other graves.

Annette

[burlington]

Annette

Must be the Parochial Church Council- and would that not be the one which is responsible for the main church in Ludlow?

Not being a Ludlow-ite I don't really know.

As to the 3 missing ones, I will PM you tomorrow.

Martin

[burlington]

Annette

Did you get my PM asking for an email address so I could send you my small spreadsheet re this cemetary?

Martin