The Long Barrow at All Cannings, Wiltshire

The Long Barrow at All Cannings, Wiltshire

Visited July 2021

A modern long barrow for the interment of cremated remains, built in 2014 in the style of a Neolithic long barrow. Of course, as there are contemporary remains deposited within the barrow it is not open to visitors, but you can park at the end of a farm track and walk up to, over and around the barrow which sits on the edge of a field in the Wiltshire countryside. A visit won't take very long at all, but as a reminder of how ancient practices can inform our contemporary life, and burial monuments become part of the living landscape, it's well worth stopping to see it.

St Peter's Church, Tandridge

St Peter's Church, Tandridge, Surrey

Visited October 2021

The church on this site dates back to around the 11th century, although there may have been an earlier church on the site. The church was restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1870s, and retains work by him as well as much earlier stone and woodwork.  Sadly it was locked when we visited so we couldn't see inside. 

Just inside the lychgate is an incredible old yew, the Tandridge Yew which is possibly over 1000 years old.

Some gravestones in this countryside churchyard date back to the 18th century, although most are 19th to 20th century in date, and memorial stones are still being added this century. 

One of the most impressive memorials is the 1872 grave of Caroline Scott, wife of Sir George Gilbert Scott who was one of the key architects during the Victorian period. Gilbert Scott designed her Italian Renaissance style altar tomb himself.

Grave of Caroline Scott

Top of grave of Caroline Scott

Hither Green Cemetery, London (2020)

 Hither Green Cemetery, London

Visited December 2020

As noted on my previous visit in January 2016, there is not a lot to commend this cemetery to the casual visitor - it's a fairly flat, manicured space with very little in the way of impressive memorials. The dissenter's chapel remains in a state of disrepair and is fenced off, with no sign of work taking place. At the other end of the cemetery, in the modern area burials still take place as this is a working cemetery and crematorium. Perhaps I will try to come back here in summer, and see the difference as my visits have only been in the depths of winter so far!

Nunhead Cemetery, London (2020 pt2)

 Nunhead Cemetery, London

Visited August 2020

Another visit to my local Victorian cemetery, which I visited more last year than ever before thanks to Covid restricting our movements so much. Is there much more to be said about this place? Perhaps not, although this time I did stray from the paths and find a few slightly overgrown memorials I hadn't seen before, so it's always worth noting that just because somewhere is familiar, doesn't mean there's nothing new to discover.

St Bartholomew's Church, Otford, Kent

St Bartholomew's Church, Otford, Kent

Visited October 2020

The church in Otford, in the Derent Valley, dates from around the 11th century although there are some re-used Roman building materials in the walls. As with all churches of this period, there have been many alterations throughout the centuries, not least because of a fire in the 17th century.

The churchyard is well maintained, and much of it is quite modern - you'll struggle to find anything older than Victorian here, although there are one or two gravestones of the 18th/early 19th centuries. If you're in the area, perhaps walking the Derent Valley, then do pass through here while you're in the area.

St Peter and St Paul Church, Shoreham, Kent

 St Peter & St Paul's church, Shoreham, Kent

Visited October 2020

The Church of St Peter and St Paul has elements dating from the 14th century, but heavy repairs in the 18th and 19th centuries have removed most traces. We were unable to get inside on our visit (thanks Covid!) but the pulpit is one of two which used to be in Westminster Abbey, and the rood screen is worth seeing I'm told (it includes the pomegranate symbol of Katherine of Aragon, perhaps a link to the visit of her and Henry VIII to nearby Otford Palace). The timber porch is late Medieval and worth a look at too.

The churchyard surrounds the building on all sides. Around the edges are areas still in use, whereas nearer to the church, where the avenue of Irish yew trees is, are many older gravestones with some wonderful inscriptions and memento mori. Do look out for one - second image from the bottom here - with the podgiest skull I've ever seen as a memento mori!

Church of St Martin of Tours, Eynsford, Kent

 Churchyard of St Martin of Tours, Eynsford, Kent

Visited October 2020

The village of Eynsford in the Darent Valley has a lot of history, with a ruined Norman castle, a scenic village centre (still with ford across the river!) and nearby Lullingstone Roman Villa and Lullingstone Castle. In the village centre is the church of St Martin of Tours, which dates back to the Norman period with, of course, many additions and alterations over the centuries, and was likely built at around the same time as the nearby Eynsford Castle. 

The historic churchyard is still in use today and contains gravestones from the 18th to the 21st centuries. Some of the early ones still bear well preserved inscriptions and carvings, such as that of Margaret Hayward with its skull, sickle, hourglass, orouboros and much more! Among the recent burials, the one depicted in the first image caught my eye, the deceased was clearly a gardener and this stone captures it so well.

As noted, there is a ton of stuff to do at Eynsford (and there is good walking too) and all less than an hour by train from London so if you are in the area to visit any of the sites or do some walking, do make sure to visit this church and churchyard as part of your trip.