If the ashes or your loved one are buried within or around the Wall please attend a public meeting at St Leonard's Church Padiham on Wednesday 23rd October at 7pm. Also invited are those with the names of relatives inscribed on the Wall.

The wall was built in the early 1960s. In fact, it consists of two parallel 24 feet long walls with a 14 inch space between them that has been used for the interment of ashes. It’s estimated that the remains of approximately 100 people are within this space.

Regrettably over the years the weight of the contents of the wall has caused movement in the structure and it has become apparent that proper repairs can only be carried out by removing all the remains. The PCC is therefore considering a proposal that these ashes should be carefully removed and immediately reburied in the nearby grassed area. We feel this is a better option than storing the ashes for several weeks while repairs are carried out, and then trying to return them to the wall.

An additional complication is that the 4 feet section of the memorial wall furthest from the graveyard entrance is being destabilised by the roots of a large tree. It is therefore also being proposed that the stones in this section should be dismantled and incorporated in a new memorial to be created on the grassed area where the ashes have been reinterred. (a sketch and plan can be downloaded on this page)

The PCC is conscious that this is a sensitive matter as it involves both moving human remains and the repositioning of some stones that memorialise loved ones. The Vicar, Mark Jones, is therefore calling a public meeting at St Leonard’s Church on Wednesday 23rd October at 7pm. Families with the ashes of relatives buried in or around the wall are especially invited to attend so that the proposals can be fully explained and comments received. Other interested parties are also welcome. Members of the public should also feel free to contact the Vicar at other times if they prefer. Telephone 01282 772442 or email [email protected]