Daughter hits out at cemetery

A Forest Town woman is demanding action over the state of the cemetery at St Alban’s Church.
Dennis Ratcliffe, with his daugthers Glenda Smith and Janine Cooper take a walk around a run-down looking graveyard in Forest Town.Dennis Ratcliffe, with his daugthers Glenda Smith and Janine Cooper take a walk around a run-down looking graveyard in Forest Town.
Dennis Ratcliffe, with his daugthers Glenda Smith and Janine Cooper take a walk around a run-down looking graveyard in Forest Town.

Glenda Smith (61) says the churchyard is in such bad condition she is considering burying her father elsewhere.

Glenda’s dad, Dennis Ratcliffe (89), who lives at Clipstone Lodge Care Home, has always wanted to be buried a his local church.

She said: “We would not feel right if he was buried there.

“It is disgraceful - I have never seen anything like it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“There are graves falling in and we have even found drug paraphernalia.

“You cannot see people’s names on the stones and would not know if you were walking over a grave.

“It does not even look like anyone has been round cutting grass.”

Several of Glenda’s relatives are buried at the cemetery but she and her sister Janine have been unable to find the graves.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Although responsibility for this side of the grounds is that of the Diocese of Southwell, the other side is maintained by Mansfield District Council.

Said Glenda: “It needs a tidy up and the grass cutting.

“The unmarked graves need to be marked - even if it is just a simple wooden cross.”

The Rev Philip Stead, of St Alban’s Church said: “It is possible the graves have collapsed through subsidence.

“We keep our side regularly mown - it is the responsibility of the families to look after their graves.

“I will contact the local PCSOs to see what they can do about the rubbish and if the family would like to contact me they are free to do so.”