Reflections From The Field: The Non-Conformist Cemetery
Stories and tales from the seemingly nondescript cemetery on New London Road - a place full of history and wildlife.
Inspired by
and his Holy Wells series, this is the first post in a new series here on Over the Field: Reflections From the Field. In these short posts, I will document my explorations in the beauty and wonder that is all around me: whether that be in spectacular landscapes of obvious beauty and sublimity or in places that yield their secrets (in the words of H.J. Massigham) seemingly reluctantly, and only to those who faithfully seek to get to know them1. I hope that my reflections and explorations will inspire you to take note of the places around you with new eyes to see.So to begin the explorations, why don’t you join me on a walk around my local cemetery — there is more to see and discover here than first meets the eye…
At the back of our tiny urban garden lies an old, wild cemetery, full of the bones and bodies of the nonconformists of Chelmsford past. It is a wonderful place, a veritable wilderness hidden away in amongst the busy urban streets that surround it. A refuge for creatures great and small alike, it makes for an interesting place to take a stroll and gather one’s thoughts — the kind of place that essays have their genesis. As well as being full of life, as places associate with death often paradoxically are. It is also densely packed with rich local history and offers many stories that deserve to be retold.
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