How to Read a Graveyard

by Peter Stanford

Death is the one certainty in life, yet, with the decline of religion in the West, we have become collectively reluctant to talk about it. Our contemporary rituals seek to sanitise death and distance us from our own inevitable fate. If we want to know how previous generations dealt with death, graveyards (famous and not) tell us the history -- if we are able to read them. If we want to know how we struggle today with understanding or facing up to death, then graveyards provide a starting point. And, if we want to escape the present taboo on acknowledging our mortality and contemplate our own end, then graveyards offer a rare welcome.

From Neolithic mounds to internet memorials via medieval corpse roads and municipal cemeteries, war graves and holocaust memorials, Roman catacombs, Pharaonic grave-robbers, Hammer horrors, body-snatchers, Days of the Dead, humanist burials and flameless cremations, Stanford shows us how to read a graveyard, what to look out for in our own, and how even the most initially unpromising exploration can enthral.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Travel, Art, Spirituality, Death, Religion

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Carole Tyrrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed this book, I feel that the title is a little misleading.
Although there is a useful A-Z of what may be found within a graveyard the book consists of the author, Peter Stanford’s, experiences as he visits various burial places from Rome, Norfolk, Edinburgh, Paris, London and Liverpool and muses on the nature of death and remembrance. He also visits the acres of Commonwealth war graves in France and ends the book on a trip to a Buckinghamshire woodland burial ground. So, all aspects of burial are covered from ancient catacombs to conventional burials in graves and then a more contemporary and alternative method. In the introduction Stanford discusses the changing ways in which death has been treated throughout the generations. For example, his parents’ generation recalled open coffins in the front parlour and a strict dress code of
mourning. Now death is tasteful and antiseptic as if by keeping it under control we can dismiss its inevitability. But we do not live with death as frequently as older generations did. Stanford also reveals that, after 15 years most graves are no longer visited.
He begins his journey through places of death as his way of finding answers to his own questions such as ‘Who first thought of erecting individual memorials to the dead?’ I really felt that I learned a lot about death and its customs such as the true function of the picturesque lychgate outside your local church, watching his father chatting openly to his own mother’s grave in a churchyard and the fate of those buried in the medieval common pit. And did you ever wonder why there are so many yews in
churchyards? Stanford quotes Robert Blair, one of the Graveyard Poets, from his 1743 poem who said of the yew:
Well do I know thee by thy trusty yew,
Cheerless, unsocial plant! That loves to dwell
Midst skulls and coffins, epitaphs and worms

And the author adds a few legends about yews and the dead for good measure.
J C Loudon, the man most associated with the creation and development of Victorian garden cemeteries believed that older city churchyards had much to teach the visitor.
‘To the local resident, he wrote in 1843, poor, uncultivated
by reading, the churchyard is their book of history, their biography,
their instructor in architecture and sculpture, their model of taste,
and important source of moral improvement.’
I have myself discovered useful names for characters while exploring churchyards and I believe that the Beatles Eleanor Rigby was discovered on a tombstone.
Corpse roads make an appearance and so does the atmospheric and eerie Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh. It was in that city that Burke and Hare operated. They were known as Resurrection Men as they dug up the freshly buried to sell onto local hospitals for dissection. Stanford relates the fate of John Horwood from Bristol who was hanged in 1820 for murder. His descendants located parts of his skeleton that had been left over from a dissection and stored in an understairs cupboard - he
was still wearing his noose. Unfortunately, his skin which had been turned into a book binding was not returned and it was only the skeleton that was finally given a decent burial.
Stanford makes an All Souls Day visit to Old Paddington Cemetery and muses on their creation of the large Victorian municipal cemeteries with their shareholders and dividends which were all swept away by the First World War and the death of Queen Victoria.
Folklore is also mentioned as with the custom of ‘telling the bees’ about a death in the family of their keepers, or even the community. If they aren’t told, the legend goes, they will desert the hive. Interesting, that at least 3 of London’s Magnificent 7 cemeteries have hives and produce
their own honey.
It’s these little nuggets of information that make the book so entertaining. I particularly enjoyed reading about the resurrection of Deane Road Old Jewish cemetery in Liverpool from a derelict
rubbish strewn forgotten site to a place of remembrance and dignity once more. The beginning of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission is also discussed and the amazing fact that it now tends 1,700,000 graves in 134 countries.
Peter Stanford is a former editor of the Catholic Herald and I feel that he approaches the subject of death and remembrance from perhaps a more religious aspect than others. This isn’t a criticism. The woodland burial ground chapter was fascinating. In fact, I recently attended a funeral where the deceased arrived in a wicker basket transported in a white van. There is more individuality in funerals nowadays as well with the advent of Humanist services.
I note that Mr Stanford has also written a biography of the Devil. I’d like to hear the interview tapes on that one.

[Richard Larkman · Rating 3 out of 5]

As previous reviewers have noted the book isn't a guide to reading graveyards. It records a personal journey through the history of the disposal and commemoration of the dead with archaeological, architectural, public health and societal comment and observation.

[Danielle Crowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating factual book looking at societies attitude to graveyards, by looking at famous graveyard and there historical aspect of them through history.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

History of a few selected graveyards written in approachable lively style while still being respectful. A few illustrations which are poorly reproduced.

[BlurryBug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Death and griefs are complex things and so is graveyards.
With this book it's not only a history of graveyards but also a picture into different social structures and human interactions with death and graves. What is so compelling about the graves of heroes of the past, that makes people visit them even now, even when the person has been gone for a century or more. This book explore this and so much more. Our attitudes to death and graveyards have changed over the centuries from mass-graves to overly decorated tomb to express or remember the person's life. We all deal with death in different ways we all have our own way that we think is socially acceptable way to deal wit this hard matter.

Peter Standford travels through Europe looking at different grave sites, some that are about the founders and the history of said site, other chapters will discuss the famous person who lived there and some chapters will talk about the religious or the social expectations of dealing with death.

In all it was a interesting book, I did expect it to dig a little deeper into rituals rather than history but I did find it enjoyable. I feel like it in the latter years have become more acceptable to talk about this topic. I did not find the book creepy or macabre, rather it is informative and insightful view of dealing with the end of life and how they did it through history.

[Bethany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do so hate giving star ratings, especially when they're low but there we are.

Although there are a few questions as to the place of death in human history/modernity and so on, as the blurb suggests, this book is, in my view, a travel diary type piece with an overarching theme. It doesn't necessarily go into that much depth about the sites but rather the focus is on Stanford's experience of them, and I feel that is conveyed well. Honestly though, I really struggled to finish this book and I think that was for just that reason; just how present the author was in the text. I just didn't get on with his voice - if you do then I can see that it's probably quite an enjoyable read so I'm highly aware of just how subjective that star rating is and I assure you I feel guilty!

The long and the short of it - probably see if you can read an extract prior to purchase to see if it's for you!

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apart from 3 chapters (the Rome ones) I’ve read the whole of this book fairly quickly. I have to agree with a number of the comments here that the title is misleading. It actually reads like a history of the way we’ve dealt with our dead, I suspect, since classical times. Where this book really scores for me is the chapter on the Commonwealth War Graves which, forgive the pun, is where the book really came to life. The last chapter on Woodland burials made a few valid points. Not quite sure who this is aimed at tho’. & the A-Z section at the end, which is the only section that comes close to fulfilling the title of this book, has only one item per letter, which makes the choice of what’s included and what left out frankly, entertaining. All of that said, it has earned my 4 stars - believe it or not it made me laugh out loud once or twice!

[Dan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a strange book. It is basically a tour of various cemeteries throughout the world. It did a good job of telling the history of each cemetery and reactions when they were started versus the reactions of today's people who visit. I was really disappointed since I was expecting techniques on how to transcribe a cemetery, not what it meant emotionally.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about a sombre subject that I found a joy to read. The book reminded me that cemeteries not only come in different shapes and sizes- as it were- but that they are also places of reflection and interest.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed these gentle musings on how we deal with our dead past, present, future and different cultures. I especially enjoyed the personal elements: where Stanford himself would like to end up, his family tour of the WWI graves in Northern France.

[Deb Lancaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always interested in graveyards and what we can see in them. I liked this but wanted more depth.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stanford has a very engaging style. At times a travel journal, at others a history book. It’s a very different, but certainly very good book.

[Liam Ostermann · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent thought provoking book by a very talented and interesting writer.

[Caroline Taggart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating journey through the history of our attitudes to death, the dead and burial. Each chapter focuses on a different graveyard, from the burial places of ancient Rome through a medieval churchyard in Norfolk to the First World War graves of northern France and a modern, eco-friendly English ‘burial park’, showing how through the centuries we have variously revered or shunned talk of death, while yet persisting in showing respect for the dead.

Macabre? Not in the least. The author is a former editor of the Catholic Herald, but wears his own beliefs lightly and even sceptically; he became fascinated by graveyards through walking the family dog in his ‘local’ in north London, not through any higher moral principle. If anything his book provides more comfort than frights, and even made me laugh once or twice: eavesdropping on a guided tour in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh, he gleans the information that this is the second most popular place in the city for public sex. ‘I wait in vain,’ he observes, deadpan, ‘for someone to ask him which location tops the charts.’

Strongly recommended.

[Debumere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite interesting to read, learnt a few useful conversational pieces that I shall employ at some stage between now and my death.

This book was good but the order of the chapters threw me a little.

I stumbled across this book while looking for 'Rest in Pieces' Bess Lovejoy and figured I'd give it a go - this is one of those areas I find extremely fascinating and I would love to be Cemetery Warden, living on the grounds, tending to the dead.

I almost applied for 'Crematorium Assistant' at the ONLY Crematorium in Ireland, but it said you had to deal with the bereaved when all I want to do is the make-up and curl hair.

Interesting read but felt more like a history textbook that you have to read at high school.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good - Peter Stanford is an excellent guide to various graveyards in England and also in France and Italy.
He is always respectful and considerate of all he sees, and his comments are thought provoking too. Clearly a very nice man, a good, loving father (he takes his children along on some of his travels) and an ideal companion for such a tour.
Having just returned from a few days visiting the Somme battlefields in Northern France, I found the chapters covering the Commonwealth War Graves particularly interesting.

[Paul Kerr · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book which, through a tour of significant graveyards in the author's world, provides a deeply reflective series of essays on civilisation's approach not just to death throughout the ages, but also what it means to be remembered and how one wants to be remembered. From Ancient Rome to Paris to England, this is an absolutely fascinating analysis of our obsession with remembrance after death, with a level of unexpected emotion as the author asks us to contemplate his and our own mortality.

[Josh · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing look at the history of death, burial, cemeteries and our general avoidance of facing our mortality. The look at the soldiers' burial grounds was interesting, with the difference between the facilities used for Allied vs. Axis soldiers & how the surrounding communities treated each. I particularly enjoyed the final cemeteries visited that offer "green" or "natural" burials - a way to change our funerary rites that have remained stagnant since the Victorian age.

[Yve-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

If, like me, you have a morbid fascination for graveyards then this book will satisfy your curiosity and feed your habit nicely. The author, Peter Stanford, is as good a writer as he is a speaker (I had the honour of attending a lecture by him recently). The book is written in an informative manner without being heavy and has little anecdotes scattered through it to keep the reader interested. You may or may not be interested in graveyards, but this book is certainly worth a read.

[Beth Flint · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, engaging and thought-provoking.
Interesting chapters on various graveyards including ones in Rome, France and the UK.
This was given to me as a gift as I am interested in learning about funeral architecture and the meanings of symbols within graveyards - it does not really discuss this but was a fascinating read anyway.

[Drake · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief but thoughtful survey of some Western European traditions around death, burial, memorials, and monuments. Peppered with references to literature that I had either never heard of, our should have read long ago and now will make time for.

Good books that lead to even better books are the best books. Or something like that.

[K.J. Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some lovely facts but they were thin on the ground. I was expecting a lot more nitty gritty of symbolism and meaning, and rather less in the way of meditating on death, which I can do myself. Not a bad book but not an attention-holder I fear.

[Johanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good quirky read - though the title is misleading its more of a cemetery travelogue than a how to read book. I'd been to a couple of the places in here though and the observations are acute and interesting

[Chaundra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really touching read that is part travelogue, part rumination on death in our culture and part historical review. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a stroll through a cemetery.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

sometimes fun, sometimes very dry, sometimes educational..but it did add more to the to visit list!