Historic cemetary now has a Lychgate

The original, historic Martinborough Cemetery on the corner of Dublin and Roberts Street, where many early residents are buried,  now has a beautiful lychgate or covered entrance.

As local historian Mate Higginson said, “This is a truly fitting gateway to our ancestors and the past .  It helps create a park-like setting for them to rest in eternal peace.”

The lychgate was made possible with the support of Bryce Neems, SWDC Amenities Manager, and Roger Smith who did a fantastic job of building it.   Mary and John Doyle, connoisseurs of heritage roses, contributed their expertise to the landscaping.

Why not make a visit now? 

These days Lychgates serve to differentiate consecrated and unconsecrated space. In traditional usage, the gate was “the sheltered point at which the coffin was set down at a funeral to await the clergyman’s arrival.” 

Lychgates date back to the middle ages before mortuaries, and at a time when most people died at home, the dead were placed on a bier and taken to the lychgate where they remained, often attended against bodysnatchers, until the funeral service, which may have been a day or two later. 

The lychgate kept the rain off, and often had seats for the vigil watchers. Bodies at that time were buried in just shrouds rather than coffins. At the funeral, the priest conducted the first part of the service under the shelter of the lychgate.

There was a folk belief that the spirit of the last person buried stands watch at the gate till the next is buried, leading to funeral fights at the entrance to decide which corpse should be buried first.