As a continuation of our RTI project with the New Forest Park Authority, where we have completed a number of captures at Emery Down, Archaeovision spent a day at St John Baptist Church in Burley, capturing further gravestones for the Heritage Lottery funded Our Past, Our Future project. Our involvement within this overall project incorporates community based outreach within the their Rediscovering and Conserving Our Archaeological Heritage sub-project.

The results of the RTI survey, as well as the volunteer documentation project will provide a snapshot of the graveyard at today, and will help define a management plan for the graveyard into the future, whilst identifying monuments that require conservation. All the data captured will be made publicly available, allowing residents or visitors to trace family members and their resting places, and local history groups to undertake research to discover more about the area’s past.

The following RTI examples, provide a before and after snapshot of the results collected at Burley and the text has been digitised for those who may find it hard to identify all of the features.

Erected by the neighbourhood to the memory of

William Sims

The first parish clerk of Burley

During ten years

Who departed this life

Augst 22 1818

Aged 67

A noble fellow judgment good

And generous thoughts had he

Intelligence and promptitude

Beyond his poor degree

We build this to the dying dust

And for his soul we pray

That he may from the Lord the just

Find mercy at that day

To the memory of

Lydia Tanner

Who departed this life February 1 1834

Aged 61 years

Farewell farewell but not for ever

In heavenly rest we meet again

Where never more can death disse..

But for ever shall remain

Also of Austin Tanner

Son of Mrs Tanner

Who died July 7^th 1836

Aged 28 years

Also of Helen Cleale

Died in Melbourne in Australia

September 15^th 1856

Aged 40 years

Also of Moses Tanner

Husband of the above

Died October 20th 18..

In Memory of Blanche Mary Shore Clough of Burley Hill in this Parish

Born 18 June 1828

Died 7 May 1904

Sacred

In memory of

Ebenezer Newel Blanchard

Born 28 November 1837

Died 6 December 1924

And of

Elizabeth Blanchard

His wife

Born 3 February 1842

Died 2 October 1924

Sleep now and take your rest

In

loving memory

of

Charles Thomas Vincent

Who died

April 6^th 1906, aged 61 years

Had he asked us, well we know, we should cry, oh spare this blow, yes, with streaming tears should pray lord, we love him, let him stay

Also of

Louisa, wife of the above

Who died

May 18^th 1908, aged 65 years

A light is from our household gone, A voice we loved is still’d, A place is vacant in our home, which never can be filled.