Pioneer Cemetery

At the bottom of our road is a Pioneer Cemetery. l have called in to see it a couple of times and did so again today. Today was extra special as some dedicated hardworking person had gone in there with a brush cutter and cut away all the bushes ,weeds and general neglect around the older section of the Grave Yard. Its in the most stunning position. l say the 'bottom' of our road but it rises steeply once it leaves the main highway and not long at all before you are up to having the river looking quite spectacular below.

Its neglected but a peaceful place. The road to the Cemetery itself has not been there for that long. A friend of ours apparently cut the road up there himself probably about 40 years ago. Up until then they used to have to carry the bodies up the bank!

There are some very imposing headstones.

Lots of ornate wrought iron work. All rusty, a lot broken but still as strong as the day it was painstakingly created.

 l would say about 50% of the headstones are broken which is as always a crying shame.

Some have flowers

Some are so heartbreakingly simple you have to wonder at the stories behind them. This wasn't old  but it was simply two pieces of wood with one nail holding them together.. It was only a small grave. Surely not a child's? l like to think maybe someone chose to lay to rest an old family dog or cat in this lovely spot.

 Some were  plain

 This was one of three in a row all engraved by hand

Some were quite Gothic and scary!

 

Check out the lady in the cloud top right hand corner! No idea where THAT came from!!

And some of the very poorest of the very oldest seem to be nothing more then pieces of local stone to mark the final resting places. So much history we know so little about.

No one to watch over them except a couple of cows. Totally oblivious to the stunning back drop to the river and beyond behind them!