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Downham Market

EXPLANATION FOR JUDGES EN ROUTEAROUND THE CEMETERIES

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Downham MarketEXPLANATION FOR JUDGES EN ROUTE AROUND THE

CEMETERIES

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● Leave the Town Hall (1) and be transported to 13th Century St Edmund’s Church (2) both DownhamMarket’s oldest building and only Grade One Listed Building.– either by High Street South, turning leftinto Church Road and right into the Church approach road or High Street North, past Cannon Square andturning right at the traffic lights into Church Road and then left into the Church approach road. Travellingwith David Sharman and Nick Robinson.

● Judges to meet with John Fox by the entrance to the Church where some explanation about the buildingworks will be given and also about the “Closed” Churchyard around the Church.

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1. On entry through the small gate, we come to the “ChurchsideCemetery” (3) in regular use from about 1887 to 1947.Although there are still occasions when interments occur offamily members there are no new grave spaces within thisCemetery.

2. A new development has taken place on land adjacent to thisCemetery and the Burial Board, which operates the openCemeteries on behalf of Downham Market and DownhamWest, are investigating suitable planting to given some visualprotection.

3. John Long (a former localstonemason) who built “The Wall”, is one of the later internees within thischurchyard joining members of his family.

4. Very recently a new name has been addedto the First World War section of the TownWar Memorial, that of Evelyn Murrell. Sheis the only lady on this section ofMemorial. Evelyn died in 1919 from anillness which she caught during her Servicein the Air Force

5. There are a few wooden benches around the Cemeteries which arecollected in annually for repair and repainting.

6. We will now walk along the centre pathway of this Cemeterynoticing the vast number of differing styles of memorialstones on either side. For a number of years this Cemeterywas left as a Conservation area, hoping to encourage a largequantity of wildlife of all sorts. More recently it has beenfelt to be better practice to manage the undergrowth to allowvisibility throughout more of the Cemetery and give way tothe numbers of “Family History” researchers. Therefore itis obvious that there is a cycle of clearing to keep a tidierand more kempt appearance as well and easier access for all.

7. There are a number of Graves withinthis Cemetery which are maintained bythe War Graves Commission and theseinclude representatives fromCommonwealth countries as well as theUK. Most are in a group fairly close tothe main gate but there are a few othersin separate places around the site.(Primarily Anglican to the northern sideof the main pathway and Non-Conformists to the south.

8. Both of these Cemeteries are regularly cared for by the Burial Board’s contractor who cuts thegrass, keeps an eye on loose branches, trims the bushes and guards against excessive leaf litter etc.

CHURCHSIDE CEMETERY, DOWNHAM MARKET

Central Pathway

Entrance Gate

John Long’sMemorial

Evelyn Murrell’sMemorial

War Graves

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KING’S WALK CEMETERY, DOWNHAM MARKET(Sometimes known as King’s Way Cemetery)

1. This is the older of the two Cemeteries that we are officially visiting today. The Churchyard aroundSt Edmund’s Church will, of course, pre date this Cemetery. Records indicate that King’s WalkCemetery ceased to provide new burial plots in about 1900.

2. The naming of this Cemetery is presumed to come from the time whenKing Charles 1 apparently stayed in the Swan Hotel and took strollsalong the track towards the rear of the hotel, leading up to the site ofthe Cemetery.

3. The main gates of the King’s Walk Cemetery are in need of renovationand the Burial Board, none of whom are iron workers, are searchingfor some recommendations on how best they can be maintained/repaired/rejuvenated. There is also

the fear of what damage will happen to the pillars if the gates are moved/removed.4. The two Mortuary Chapels in this Cemetery are both currently used as storage

facilities for different organisations. The North Chapel, with the larger bell, wasoriginally used as the Anglican Mortuary and the other, with the smaller bell, wasthe Non Conformist one. Along with the formerCemetery Keeper’s or Sexton’s House, currentlywith a private tenant, the three properties make whatis thought to be a unique attractive trio of carrstonebuildings.

5. Alongside the southern chapel one of the memorialshas a very special link to Downham Market, beingthat to James Scott, the gentleman who providedDownham’s well known Town Clock.

6. Walking down the centre pathway of the Cemeterywe can again see that there is a program of clearingthroughout approximately a three year cycle. This is,again, a way of keeping the site lines clear as well asallowing wildlife freedom to exist and giving familyhistory researchers access to the memorials.

7.The fine cedar tree at the end of the walk looks outover the Howdale. An open play space owned andmaintained by the Borough Council.

8.The large tree trunk in front of us on the Howdale isa memorial to a young local lad, Jono, who sadly drowned. This is acarved bench purchased by donations.

9. The Howdale and other areas to the west of ourposition are very sandy and some of them are pits where much of the local carrstonewas quarried.

10. The walls surrounding the Cemeteries, as many walls in Downham Market, are builtof carrstone. Whilst this stone is very attractive it requires regular maintenance asit is a form of sandstone. The walls around the Cemeteries are therefore checkedand repaired on a very regular basis.

11. In the Cemetery side walls (north and south) can be seen numbers carved on stoneshields - these are the markers for the rows of graves.

King’s WalkCemetery Gates

James Scott’sMemorial

Central Pathway

Jono’s Bench

GraveMarker

Cedar Tree

MortuaryBell (S)

MortuaryBell (N)