Old Graveyards

[Adrian Twiss]

This is one for our UK members.

I enjoy wandering about old graveyards looking for photo opportunities and would welcome any suggested locations. I have already been to Warristion and Newington Cemetaries in Edinburgh and intend to schedule a visit to the Necropolis in Glasgow. I have heard about a large old cemetary in Liverpool (St Johns I think) but can't find any references about it on the net.

My tastes run to old disused cemetaries, the more overgrown the better. I am quite prepared to travel nationwide.

Actually there are a couple of interesting cemetaries in Paris that I hope to visit sometimes.

Thanks

Adrian

 

[Helen B]

Sorry I can't help - I'm only interested in fresh graves.

Best,
Helen

 

[Les McLean]

There's an old overgrown cemetery in a village near Whitley Bay in the North East of England. Let me know if you are interested and tell me a little more about what you are looking for and I'll check it out when I'm next on Tyneside.

 

[clogz]

xxxxxx

 

[Dave Miller]

This is one for our UK members.

I enjoy wandering about old graveyards looking for photo opportunities and would welcome any suggested locations. I have already been to Warristion and Newington Cemetaries in Edinburgh and intend to schedule a visit to the Necropolis in Glasgow. I have heard about a large old cemetary in Liverpool (St Johns I think) but can't find any references about it on the net.

My tastes run to old disused cemetaries, the more overgrown the better. I am quite prepared to travel nationwide.

Actually there are a couple of interesting cemetaries in Paris that I hope to visit sometimes.

Thanks

Adrian

I'm not sure that Whitby Abbey and Churchyard count as disused, and you have to be careful not fall down the tripod holes, but the attached holiday snaps may be of interest. Then again you have almost certainly already been there.

 

[Adrian Twiss]

Les

Thanks for the offer. Its a little difficult to describe but I have always been facinated by mans grand monuments that through neglect are gradually overtaken by nature. In Warriston cemetary there are some lovely little gravestones that over the years have been cloaked in ivy. I saw a very moving stone of Christ on the cross in white marble where ivy had started to embrace him by growing up his legs and torso. Unfortunately I never did get an opportunity to photograph it and damn me I've forgotten where I saw it.

 

[Adrian Twiss]

Dave

I have been to Whitby once but surprisingly did not go to the Abbey. Ah well, I suppose it will be around for a wee while yet and can rectifiy that little mistake.

Good images by the way.

Adrian

 

[Helen B]

Ah, Whitby. The home of my dear friend Alucard.

If you want the real thing you could go to Eire - only a hop, skip and jump from Wigan. There are overgrown graveyards all over the place. Here are some awful cliches I took in County Cavan.

Best,
Helen

 

[Dave Miller]

Ah, Whitby. The home of my dear friend Alucard.

Fang just ain’t what they used to be though, since they cut the grass!

 

[jrong]

I just went to Highgate Cemetery in London a few weekends ago. Here is the link to my Highgate photos - more to come when I get another roll of film developed.
http://www.artemisworks.plus.com/hg/index.htm

Definitely a place for necrophiliac photographers to hang out....

Jin

 

[sparx]

The oldest cemetary in England (as opposed to graveyard) is The Rosary in Norwich. I did a project there. The pictures are on my site here. http://www.darkplanet.co.uk/rosary.htm

 

[Fintan]

[not being from the UK and that] I apologise for butting in.
may I respectfully suggest you put Ireland on your list, the rates on the ferries are quite reasonable. We have "old disused cemetaries, the more overgrown the better" in absolute abundance.

 

[lesdix]

Adrian

Although I cannot direct you to a good graveyard, I thought I might share my experience. Jesmond cemetery in Newcastle was an absolutely delightful old Victorian burial ground. Very large, with many of the tombstones hidden under deep undergrowth. I spent many happy hours wandering around during my lunch hour and there was a fair amount of wildlife as well. Just when I was beginning to feel that I had the makings of an interesting portfolio the city council cut back most of the foliage and literally put red tape around all of the tombstones and 'keep to the path' notices everywhere. It is now quite difficult to photograph. I suppose that the tombstones were a health and safety hazard. My pictures are now a historic record of how it used to be and I will try and post them when I get the hang of how to do it.

Les Dix
Ryton

 

[Brac]

My enduring memory of Aberdeen in Scotland, admittedly from the 60's, is of passing huge cemetories when entering the City. Also there was one in the town centre where office workers & shoppers used to sit on memorial slabs and the like to eat their lunchtime sandwiches. It was something I could never get my head round and perhaps explains why I have never been back. Perhaps I am doing them a grave injustice?

The trouble with lots of graveyards is that due to space running out they have re-used. So I think you will find that those in small towns and rural areas are more likely to still have old tombstones etc. Worth wandering round areas like the Cotswolds for example. Best of luck.

 

[Ed Sukach]

Here are some awful cliches I took in County Cavan.

Doesn't look anything like a cliche' to me. I like it.

 

[donbga]

Ah, Whitby. The home of my dear friend Alucard.

Helen

Helen,

Wasn't he related to Doctor Acula?

Don Bryant

 

[Dave Miller]

[not being from the UK and that] I apologise for butting in.
may I respectfully suggest you put Ireland on your list, the rates on the ferries are quite reasonable. We have "old disused cemetaries, the more overgrown the better" in absolute abundance.

and some decent ruined churches too!

 

[stephen]

You could also try the Bunhill Fields burial ground in London (off Old Street in the City). It is now some years since I have been there, so it may have changed. It was a non-conformist burial ground, and some of the people buried there are of interest (at least to me); John Owen, vice chancellor of Oxford, and the man who preached before Parliament on the day after Charles 1 execution; Joseph Priestley, the discovered of oxygen (no comments that people had been breathing it for years before him), Daniel Defoe etc, etc.