Tombs, grave markers and boundary walls of Cragg Wood Baptist Burial Ground

The Baptist burial ground dates to the first half of the 18th century.

Materials and Setting

The walls, tombs and grave markers are of sandstone. The burial ground is aligned north-east to south-west, overlooking a broad valley to the south-west. It is within the grounds of a development for housing. The land falls away steeply to the south-west and south-east.

Layout

The burial ground measures approximately 18 metres by 12 metres, with the grave markers and tombs aligned north-east to south-west, roughly arranged in three rows with gaps that may contain further undiscovered graves.

Boundary Walls

The ground is defined by stone walls. To the north-east is the chapel building with a line of low walling abutting the building and extending east of the building with a brick upper section; this wall acts as a revetment to the rising ground above. To the south-east the wall is approximately 1 metre high and acts as a retaining wall to the burial ground. A pier with a pyramidal cap rises from the wall approximately one-third of the way from the north-east corner. The north-west wall is stepped down towards the south-west, following the slope of the ground. The south-west wall is similar and at the west corner there is a gap; the land here drops away quite steeply. The south-west wall has been restored.

Grave Markers and Tombs

The burial ground contains nineteen surviving grave markers and tombs. The surviving tombs and grave markers are all aligned north-east to south-west, with the heads to the south-west. The eastern corner of the burial ground is without visible graves. The descriptions below include some words recorded in a 1999 survey of the burial ground, which may since have been lost through erosion.

Detached Gravestones

Two gravestones are detached from their burials and have been fixed to the wall of the building.

1) One is partial and has the dedication: "Here Lieth Interrd The Body of Mary the Daughter of Christopher Hird of Yeadon who Departed this Life the (missing)."

2) The other is also damaged and reads: "Here lieth Interrd the (bo)dy of John the Son of Christopher Hird of Yeadon who Departed this life the 14 day of October in the 12 year of his Age Annoq Domini 1736."

First Row (Nearest to Building)

The row nearest to the building contains six visible graves, described below in order from north-west to south-east.

3) The most northerly tomb, slightly offset from the line of the others and only slightly raised above ground level, has the inscription: "Here lieth Interred the Body of John Marshall of Lower Yeadon who departed this Life June the 20 In the 84 year of his Age Annoq Domini 1745."

4) Next is a grave marker level with the ground in poor condition with the inscription: "(Here) Lyeth the Body (of Anne the wife of John) Willon (Minister) of this place who dyed the 20 day of April (Annoq) Domini 1743 illegible."

5) After a gap is a grave marker with the inscription: "Here lieth Interrd the Body of John (Keighley) of Ecclesell (Park) who departed this life the 2nd day of September in the (65) year of his age Anno D 1719 Here also lieth interrd the body of Mary the wife of the above said John Keighley who departed this life the 23rd day of September in the 71 year of her age Anno Domini 1736."

A smaller gap separates this from the next group, which consists of one grave marker and two adjacent chest tombs.

6) The grave marker has an inscription reading: "Here lieth interrd Ann (illegible) of Susanna Hird Daughter of (Christopher) and Susanna (illegible) who died November the 30th aged (9) Months 1760 Also (illegible) Son (of the above) (Christopher and Susannah) died September the (20) aged (illegible) Months 1763."

7) The first chest tomb has an inscription reading: "Here lieth Interrd the Body of Mary Wife of John Hird of Yeadon and Daughter of Mr George Braithwaite of St(?ar) park in Lanca(shire) who departed this life the 22nd day of May in the 37th year of her Age A.D. 1747."

8) The second has an inscription reading: "Here lieth interrd the Body of John Hird of Lower Yeadon Gentleman who departed this life the 28th Day of October in the 68 Year of his Age Annoq Domini 1752."

Second Row

The second row contains six graves.

9) At the north-west end is a grave marker level with the ground with an inscription: "Here ly interrd (the) (Body of both Mary the daughter and Mary the wife of John Hird of Lower Yeadon. The daughter dyed the 28th of December 1722 in the fourth year of her Age and the mother dyed the first day of January being the fourth day after the Death of her Daughter And in the 32(?) Year of her Age Anno Domini 1722."

10) After a small gap is a raised chest tomb in good condition with the inscription: "Here lieth Interrd the Body of John Marshall of Lower Yeadon who departed this Life the 30th Day of March in the 57th Year of his Age A.D. 1749."

11) Next is a grave marker of which the inscription is entirely illegible.

12) Next is another chest tomb in good condition with the inscription: "Here lieth Interred the Body of Christopher Hird of Lower Yeadon who departed life the 21st day of August in the 35th year of his Age Annoq Domini 1744."

13) A further chest tomb is next and has an inscription reading: "Here lieth Interrd the Body of Mary Hird Widow of Mr Christopher Hird late of Yeadon who departed this Life on the 22nd Day of December 1761 in the 70th Year of her (missing)."

14) A grave marker completes the row, with an inscription reading: "Here lieth the Body of Thomas Oates of Great Horton Mason (?) who died February 20th in the 67(?) year of his age Anno Domini 1742."

Third Row

The third row contains four burials, the first being behind the chest tomb of John Marshall the younger, and extending further south than the first two rows.

15) The first is another chest tomb in a damaged condition, with the inscription: "(Here lie)th Interrd t(he) Body of John Nichols (of) Woodhead (missing) who departed this life April the (missing) 1740 in the 48 year of his Age Here also lieth Interrd the Body of William Nichols of Norcroft in Hawksworth who Departed this life (missing) 1740 in the (49th) year of his Age Also the Body of Elizab(eth) wife of John Fairah of Woodhead in Yeadon who Departed this life July the (14th 17)49 in the 41st year of her Age. Also the Body of Mary Daughter of the above said John Nichol wife of Benjn Newland who dyed May 23rd 1756."

16) Next is another chest tomb with less damage with the inscription: "Here Lieth Interrd the Body of John Gibson ye Only son of John Gibson of Woodhead who departed this life the (illegible) day of June in the 22nd year of his Age Annoq Dom(ini) 1723 Here also Lieth Interrd the Body of John Gibson of Woodhead who departed this life the 16th day of May in the 58th year of his Age Annoq Domini 1729 Here lieth the Body of Elizabeth wife of John Gibson who departed this life 2 of July 1752." (A graffito at the bottom reading OD(?)1883 seen in 2011 was not visible in 2013.)

17) Next is a grave marker, badly eroded, with an inscription beginning: "Here lieth Interrd the Body of David (rest illegible)."

18) A large gap separates this from the last grave marker which has an inscription reading: "Under this Stone and By Doth Lye ye Remains of Mary James (illegible) (illegible) late of Rawden. Wood Bottom who died (illegible) Age 64 years (illegible) 1755 (three more lines illegible)."

19) A further grave marker, not seen on inspection, lies near the north-west corner of the site. The inscription is reported to read: "Here lieth interrd the body of John son of Christopher Hird of Yeadon who departed this life the 14 day of October in the 12th year of his age. Anno Domini 1736."