I must admit to have never knowing about this place till I came across it being discussed on a Forum. I felt I needed to go along and record what was left. All I can find out about the place is that on the 1900 OS maps it shows Burial Ground, if there was a chapel there it is long gone being demolished at some time all that is left is the graves you see in this blog.
The entrance the cemetery, there are brick footings ether side which signify to me the place had a Lychgate at some time. I would think there would have been a fence or hedge round the outside and gates in front of me, the path is shown on the 1900 map
One side of the gate
Headstones over to one side of the entrance, a little more overgrown
One thing the cemetery did have was Commonwealth War Graves so I took photos of all the ones there . Private W.King Royal Tank Corps 3rd November 1918 Age39
Sargent S T Lewis Royal Berkshire Regiment 7th October 1917 Age 41 and Boy O S Stevens Royal Berkshire Regiment 24th January 1918 age17.
Corporal J M Lawes Royal Berkshire Regiment 5th April 1918 age 26
Lance Cpl W Woolgar Royal Berkshire Regiment 7th March 1918 Age21 & P Huggins Royal Artillery 11th March 1944 age22
QMR Serjt D Dickie Royal Horse Artillery 7th October 1915 Age54
C S Day Able Seaman HMS Vivid 4th February 1920 & Private V M Field Royal Army Medical Corps 22nd February 1916
Sapper B Reeves Royal Engineers 14th October 1920 & Private A J Chapman Royal Berkshire Regiment 5th January 1915 age29
Over to the back of the cemetery
Looking down the churchyard to Norcot road
The overgrown area at the back of the site where there may have been a groundsman's hut
The headstones in the cemetery
Most of the headstones still stand though some crosses have been removed off the graves
Some as you can see have become covered in ivy
One of the remaining crosses in the cemetery
Most of the cemetery you see here is well kept but only looks like it is cut a few times a year
Before I left I noticed on grave that looked quite new and well kept which meant the cemetery was still in use. At one time the place would have been cared for now it gets a cursory grass cut a few times a year, I think the memory of the people buried here deserve better and not left forgotten
Have a peaceful weekend
11 comments:
neat history. amazing. ( ;
Your military stones are more interesting than those here!
Even the Canadian ones buried in the war graves are the same
The thing that struck me was how young all these souls were when they died.
It looks a bit forlorn. Interesting though.
Always interesting to read the headstones. So sad to see so many men who died way too young...
Strange that reading down through the graves, my first thought was these men who fell in WW1 were much older than the stereotype that is normally presented for drama reasons. Fine post as always Bill.
So interesting so sad and so young this graveyard really does deserve to be look after better it's a massive part of Readings history
We should never forget
Lance Cpl W Woolgar Royal Berkshire Regiment 7th March 1918 Age21 ,,
He was my grandmother Brother
simon
i think the grave years is St Georges
Have driven past this burial ground so many times as my mother lives in Tilehurst. I live in Chester. Today the site had been tidied and grass cut so l pulled in to have a look.
Quite a few Commonwealth War Graves in good shape.
Pity about the beer cans ,rubbish and needles and drugs paraphernalia.
The area is tucked away and clearly abused by druggies. Disrespectful scumbags....
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