Saturday 20 July 2013

A Cemetery in the Valley


Our recent cemetery visit was to Yarramalong Valley cemetery. This little out of the way cemetery is right out there in the beautiful valley of Yarramalong. It was opened in 1888, and can be used only by the descendants of those already interred in the cemetery.

A small church named St Barnabas sits at the front of the cemetery, it was built in 1885 by voluntary labor and opened in December 1885 by the then Anglican Bishop of Newcastle.


To get to the cemetery you walk down a path which made my imagination go wild when I first saw it. Flanked on either side by trees, the gate sat partially open like something was waiting for us on the other side, a real live spooky cemetery, dark clouds looming over head and a small narrow path leading to a big black gate. These are the sorts of cemeteries you see in horror movies.



Once I got my thoughts composed and we entered into the old cemetery, I found myself once again feeling like a mountain goat. Every grave was placed on a steep slope and the ground was covered in wet leaves and moss.

 


Walking carefully amongst all these old tombstones, I finally came across some with carvings on them, flowers were very common, but one tombstone had a pair of hands,   Hands held together in this way are said to be symbolic of the dead being accepted into heaven.  Does anyone else have any suggestions on what these hands mean?


 
 

We are yet to find an angel which is really what would be a great find in these out of the way cemeteries, but for now we are just enjoying the adventure.

Any comments about cemetery symbols are always welcome here at Tombstones and Travels.





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

4 comments:

  1. So dark and damp looking! Fascinating account. I'd follow but you don't have a follow widget! Thanks for visiting my own blog. I certainly intend to follow this blog!
    Laurie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you Laurie, Ill look into getting a follow widget

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Susan great photos keep them coming

    ReplyDelete
  4. thank you sara for your encouraging comment ill keep up the great photos

    ReplyDelete