Church Burials

[dannyday5821]

In some of the really very old church yards, like where I live, there are a lot of slabs that make up the footpaths surrounding the church, that have engraved things on them, like "here lies" etc etc 1720, 1800, and so on.

So... are they graves? Are people buried underneath and around the church? I was just curious because it's something I always wondered as a kid!

[woofgang]

It depends. originally they were gravestones but churches could move them after some time and they often do, so that burial plots can be reused. I am not sure if more modern burial plots can be re used in the same way.

[EDDIE51]

They are old gravestones that have been removed from the graves as the graves were so old they have been reused. Just a useful purpose for them rather than just throwing them away.

[dannyday5821]

ahhh cool, makes a lot of sense! Thanks for that :) I didn't know they'd reuse burial plots though, but it makes sense if a church is as old as 1700, that they'd have to keep reusing plots, otherwise the grave yards would be ridiculously huge!

So, when they reuse a plot, what do they do with the body of the 'previous owner', as it were? Do they end up burying one body on top of another?

[woofgang]

It depends what is left. Some churches have ossuaries (bone repositories) and some reverently rebury remains in mass graves. Whatever is done is done respectfully and reverently.

[jno]

I must say I've always thought using gravestones as paving for people to walk on isn't reverent at all. (Except for people actually buried in a church, who usually have the gravestone flat in the aisle.) Some churches line them up against a wall, which seems better to me if you propose to keep tham at all.

[Mosaic]

Interesting Jno - maybe using the stones as paving slabs fits with the notion of Christian humility and lack of attachment to the material world.
I recall in the great town modernisings of the 1960s my dad got a load of stone which were old gravestones broken up. Gave me the heebies but he made a crazy paving with the writing sides downwards.

[DJHawkes]

It is probable that the stones used as slabs will have been moved out of the church as burials took place inside the church and once it was full the bodies were removed and disposed of a new burials took place. (Bonefire - bonfire)

My 4 x great grandfather's stone is now part of the path leading up to the doors of Great Budworth Parish Church but his original burial place was within the graveyard as I have the number from the original burial regsiter in 1833 and according to the grave plans his actual first resting place was near to the church wall.

[EDDIE51]

I think the grave has to be at least 100 years old before it can be reused . Most are older.