Somebody who came upon my blog asked if I was familiar with the English Cemetery in our village. I have always known of its existence, but I had never visited. The man in question believes his grandfather is buried in the cemetery and is keen to know if there is a headstone. Today I went to the information centre to have the cemetery unlocked so I could have a bit of a wander and look for a particular name.
the suspension bridge across the river
After arranging for the gates to be opened by a woman who lives nearby, I headed off across the suspension bridge from La Villa. It was a gloomy day today, which somehow seemed appropriate.
the entrance to the cemetery
In 1842 Carlo Ludovico di Borbone granted permission to build a Protestant cemetery. Works were finished in 1844, but burials were performed imediately after the land was purchased. The cemetery was in use until 1953 and 137 people were burried on the site. In 1982, when the bequest intended for its upkeep was exhausted, the town of Bagni di Lucca bought the cemetery and is now responsible for its upkeep.
I had heard that is was overgrown and derelict, but I found it in quite good condition. The grass has been recently mowed and some care has been taken with the grave sites. There are a few important people buried here (I’m sure everyone here was important to somebody) including the author Ouida, the sister of the President of USA (Cleveland) and Henry and Elizabeth Stisted.
heading up the steps
the little chapel
Some of the sepulchral monuments were made by famous sculptors of the time, such as Benjamin Gibson, Giuseppe Norfini and Emelio Duccini. Some of them are quite lovely.
an elaborate grave
I wonder how much longer the chain will last
a dramatic offering
the inscription said she was the author of incomparable novels
the grave of a young wife and her husband
I found this particularly sad. Elizabeth died in 1854 aged just 20. It says she is not dead, just sleeping. Her husband, Mark Noble was buried here 14 years later, in 1868 aged 34. He died in Malta, but is buried here. They must have been married very young and she must have died soon after.
the grave of Nelly Erickson
Nelly Erickson died in a fever epidemic while working to help refugees in WW1.
no name here
the graves are quite well kept
a quiet corner
Henry Stisted of the Royal Dragoons – a gallant and accomplished gentleman
a place to sit
I didn’t find the name I was looking for. This doesn’t mean he is not here. Many of the graves are worn and the names are unreadable. I found one possibility. The man was a Captain and I found a grave decorated with a sword and a helmet.
you can just make out the sword and the helmet
a possibility
The next step will be to go to the library, which is housed in the English Church. There must at least be a list of the people buried in the cemetery and possibly even a plan of the graves. I’ll go next week.
Click here to see the beginnings of the restoration of the cemetery in September 2012