My walk (continued)

My walk took me along the path by a grassy field which is part of the six acres that make up the land around the church. When I walk here I'm always conscious that there are over 10,000 people buried here mostly between 1834 and 1950.  Underneath the grassy area 2500 paupers  from the former South Yorkshire Asylum are buried. (This occurred between 1872 and as late as 1948).  There's a stone plaque in remembrance of this fact on the wall by the path.  Also 29 victims of the Great Sheffield Flood of 1864 are buried elsewhere in the churchyard. There are 53 war graves from WWI and WWII and graves for soldiers from Wharncliffe War Hospital with a memorial to them as well others that are scattered throughout the graveyard.  The graveyard is looked after by volunteers. There are regulars who give a lot of their time to the job of maintaining it in good order. Some areas are left overgrown for wildlife and wildflowers and the grass there is cut annually. This time I noticed tree branches had been piled up. I imagine they had fallen due to the recent strong winds.  There are many mature trees here as well as those that have been planted over the past few years.

a holly tree full of berries

a wild crab apple tree

The 1914-1918 War Memorial dedicated to the

23 soldiers from the Warncliffe War Hospital with the poppy wreaths

that were placed there last Remembrance Day.  A  service will be held 

once more as an annual act of remembrance in November

and wreaths will be placed here again.

one of the war graves

the former carriage drive 

Back at home this week I bought some chrysanthemums and made a chocolate orange cake.  

A walk on the Common

Last week we had stormy weather, but so far this week, even though it has been cool, we have had some beautiful sunshine and blue skies.  Our area is hilly, but I'm determined to step up my walking.  I decided to walk on the Common that stretches across a sandstone escarpment and so I headed uphill.

You can't really see from this photo, but I was high up

overlooking the village.

Further down the field were the horses grazing that are always

kept there.

The gorse bushes and clumps of heather were still in bloom.

A wild apple tree was full of fruit.  Maybe it had been planted 

by the Rangers who look after the Common or had self-seeded long ago?

The rosebay willow herb leaves were just beginning to turn red and shed seeds.

The path goes further up over the Common, but I turned back onto
another path which leads back down to a main entrance and the village.

I didn't take photos of other walkers, but there were lots of locals

mostly walking their dogs.

back down to the lane

old lamps. There used to be a well (the village's drinking supply) just here.

the almshouses

the parish church and church hall

After crossing the field I walked back through the churchyard.