Another sunny day with snow. The snow reminded me of the rippled sand as the tide goes out. This is the view from the field south of Masefield Crescent, looking towards the new Morland Gardens development in South Abingdon. The field (or possibly the adjoining field ) got a mention in a recent Town Council meeting as being a possibility for the new cemetery – subject to the Vale of White Horse District Council giving or selling the land, and access and ground being OK.
The field slopes gently from a ploughed farm field to the Drayton Road. About twenty years ago the field was designated an open access field where people could walk. The grass is cut in June to make hay, and people walk their dogs all the way round, or across the top.
Leaving aside the not unimportant question of the public access use of this field, it would be interesting to know how many funerals a cemetery might attract each week/month and what traffic circulation problems might arise. There is only one access road onto the estate and it is comparatively narrow.
I ought to declare three interests: I am a resident in Mill Road; I am an advanced driving coach and have an interest in road safety; my PhD thesis addressed funeral rites and I am a published author on this subject. These factors may influence my views…
Ppjs, it sounds to me like you could be the sort of person who’s knowledge could be tapped, for a very low cost or maybe even free.
However if there is an opportunity for a consultant to be paid vastly more, for worse insight; I think we know how our money will be spent.
But we mustn’t grumble. “We wouldn’t need these bloomin cemeteries if it wasn’t for all those living people becoming dead people”. I’ll consider myself part of the problem.
Strikes me as an excellent place for a cemetery.
…better than than the dead center of town Sarah? I
Tee hee!
At least the neighbours will be quiet!
Suspect they would build access in from the Drayton Road, perhaps using the traffic lights at Morland Gardens? Or is that too sensible.
(I’m ever hopeful for the application of common sense)