Gothic Graveyards

Tonna cemetery and the grave of my great great grandparents, William and Sarah Richards (on the right), and one of their sons (on the left).  The ghostly figure in blue in the background is Dylan!!!

When I was in Boston, I enjoyed exploring some of the old cemeteries in the heart of the city.  What better way to discover the past that to visit the dead and give your regards to long ago.  I loved the gothic architecture, but to be honest it was a little too touristy.  So one of the things I was looking forward to on our Wales trip was exploring the local graveyards in their natural setting, especially since my dad has been doing a lot of research on our family history.  I wasn't disappointed.

Cadoxton cemetery's Murder Stone

One of the most popular pages on my blog is a Halloween post I did a few years ago on a local curiosity - the murder stone.  We took the opportunity to revisit it.  The inscription reads as follows:

"1823 To Record MURDER this stone was erected over the body of Margaret Williams, aged 26, a native of Carmarthenshire, living in service in this parish, who was found dead with marks of violence on her person in a ditch on the marsh below this churchyard on the morning of Sunday the fourteenth of July 1822. Although the savage murderer escaped for a season the detection of man yet God hath set his mark upon him either for time or eternity and the cry of blood will assuredly pursue him to certain and terrible but righteous judgement."  

Somewhat creepily, there were fresh flowers on the grave.

The cemetery is much larger than I remember, and very gothic.  Also very tranquil

Many of the graves date back to the early 1800s

I love this picture.  It looks like the limbs are trying to force their way out of the grave

"And so, as kinsmen met a night,
We talked between the rooms,
Until the moss had reached our lips,
And covered up our names".
- Emily Dickinson