A fine and private place
Jul. 1st, 2009 11:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blamebramptonSt Stephen's Church in Newtown has a beautiful cemetery attached to it. It was once much larger, but the council decided to build a park, and so they resumed much of the land, leaving the bodies buried beneath it and moving the best stones inside the new church wall to line it on the side thet remained cemetery (all the 'best' graves were nearest the church, they remain intact).
The park still has bodies buried beneath it, but most people do not know and it is a popular picnic and playing spot. I went to a wedding at the church on the weekend, then back to the cememtery and park today, because there were a few photos I wanted to take. Firstly, for the wonderful![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jadzialove :
This is on the wall outside the cemetery and church, on the park side, which is covered in graffiti. What the legend underneath means, I have no idea, though I would definitely shag Snape over Rove. The latter is sweet and funny, but too nice. Here is a broader shot of the wall:
As you can see, it is rather chaotic on the outside. On the inside, it encloses a refuge that seems a world away from the cacophony of Newtown, with nineteenth century graves telling the stories of people who lived locally generations ago. It is a quiet place, despite the busy streets running past it, where people smile gently at each other in passing and swathes of periwinkle and grasses clothe the dead.
Many famous early Sydneysiders are buried there, and it is where you will find Eliza Donnithorne's grave. It is widely believed she was the model for Miss Havisham in Great Expectations. Dickens lived in Sydney for a while, and she was the famous daughter of a very fine house on King Street in Newtown. On the day of her wedding, with the wedding meal set and her finery on, she received her guests and waited for her groom. He never arrived.
Though she changed her clothes, the wedding breakfast was left on the table for over thirty years until she died. She herself rarely left the house. Eventually, she died, and is buried with her father.
Walking back, I saw a great Dane cheerfully trying to make friends with another dog. It was a sausage dog. The sausage's owners caught the great Dane and after some soprano and bass barks were exchanged, a friendship of sorts began.
All in all, a most successful day off!
The park still has bodies buried beneath it, but most people do not know and it is a popular picnic and playing spot. I went to a wedding at the church on the weekend, then back to the cememtery and park today, because there were a few photos I wanted to take. Firstly, for the wonderful
jadzialove : This is on the wall outside the cemetery and church, on the park side, which is covered in graffiti. What the legend underneath means, I have no idea, though I would definitely shag Snape over Rove. The latter is sweet and funny, but too nice. Here is a broader shot of the wall: As you can see, it is rather chaotic on the outside. On the inside, it encloses a refuge that seems a world away from the cacophony of Newtown, with nineteenth century graves telling the stories of people who lived locally generations ago. It is a quiet place, despite the busy streets running past it, where people smile gently at each other in passing and swathes of periwinkle and grasses clothe the dead. Many famous early Sydneysiders are buried there, and it is where you will find Eliza Donnithorne's grave. It is widely believed she was the model for Miss Havisham in Great Expectations. Dickens lived in Sydney for a while, and she was the famous daughter of a very fine house on King Street in Newtown. On the day of her wedding, with the wedding meal set and her finery on, she received her guests and waited for her groom. He never arrived.
Though she changed her clothes, the wedding breakfast was left on the table for over thirty years until she died. She herself rarely left the house. Eventually, she died, and is buried with her father.
Walking back, I saw a great Dane cheerfully trying to make friends with another dog. It was a sausage dog. The sausage's owners caught the great Dane and after some soprano and bass barks were exchanged, a friendship of sorts began.
All in all, a most successful day off!
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Date: 2009-07-01 02:29 pm (UTC)The dogs? &hearts
What the legend underneath means, I have no idea, though I would definitely shag Snape over Rove.
....................
:D
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Date: 2009-07-01 02:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-01 03:03 pm (UTC)Me too!
Looks like an interesting place to visit.
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Date: 2009-07-01 03:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-01 03:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-01 03:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-01 04:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-01 03:28 pm (UTC)I love the idea of those two people bonding over their giant dog and their tiny dog becoming friends ♥♥♥
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Date: 2009-07-02 05:05 pm (UTC)The dogs were brilliant, as were the owners. They saw me take the shot and gave a smile and a wave. The sausage even came over to the Dane for a tentative sniff. I think it will all end well ;-)
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Date: 2009-07-01 05:02 pm (UTC)Are there any good epitaphs?
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Date: 2009-07-02 05:06 pm (UTC)There are, but I didn't note any of them down. Next visit! (and I am showered but not yet in bed, as you can see.)
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Date: 2009-07-01 05:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-02 05:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-01 05:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-01 05:37 pm (UTC)Aww, Pie! *huggles* I think of it like this, dead people can't get you in the sunlight. Or is that vampires? Well, er, neither operate with skill in the daytime.
The park looks gorgeous. I love the chaotic and wild feel to it. :)
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Date: 2009-07-02 05:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-02 05:09 pm (UTC)*Brandished stick.*
*Goes back later to apologise to dead for bad behaviour, points out was in support of Pi, feels sure dead will understand, or not notice.*
*Ignores funny looks from resident magpies.*
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Date: 2009-07-01 05:38 pm (UTC)And I love old graveyards. There are quite a few in NJ that date back to the 1600-1700s and when I was little I used to sneak down and visit them with my friends. I took pics and usually got some sort of white flecks which some people beleive are signs of ghosts.
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Date: 2009-07-02 05:10 pm (UTC)You should dig out the old pix and post them. I'd be fascinated, for one.
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Date: 2009-07-01 05:54 pm (UTC)O_o A cemetery that turned to a picnic area WITH THE BODIES STILL THERE. So weird...
Love the dogs' story!
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Date: 2009-07-02 06:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-02 08:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-02 05:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-01 06:18 pm (UTC)thanks for the pics and the stories, v. v. fascinating. ♥
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Date: 2009-07-02 05:12 pm (UTC)It is a bit Stephen King, isn't it ;-)
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Date: 2009-07-01 07:36 pm (UTC)Growing up in an apartment, the cemetery down the street was my playground. I've always felt at peace visiting them.
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Date: 2009-07-02 05:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-02 12:00 am (UTC)friendsssssssssssssssssss
Woof!
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Date: 2009-07-02 05:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-02 02:04 am (UTC)I want a cemetery near my house like that. They're so old and pretty and not at all spooky, and if it wasn't always wet here, and I were more courageous, I'd chose it as a place to write.
But my puppy is still cuter.no subject
Date: 2009-07-02 05:15 pm (UTC)Actually, writing there is a really good idea! I should pop by next week with a notebook!
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Date: 2009-07-02 02:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-02 05:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-05 05:05 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-07-02 02:25 am (UTC)It is a quiet place, despite the busy streets running past it, where people smile gently at each other in passing and swathes of periwinkle and grasses clothe the dead.
You have such a lovely way with words.
You really should do something with that... *giggles*
Seriously, I think I would love that quiet place and would definitely be fascinated by the stones.
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Date: 2009-07-02 05:17 pm (UTC)And did I ever tell you my fave Sydney graffiti?
Some wanker spray-painted: God Hates Hommos!
Underneath, in a different hand: But does he like tabouleh?
XXX
(And we will have the two of you to visit one day!)
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