PLANS TO REVAMP LYELL BURIAL SITE IN KIRRIEMUIR
PLANS to spruce up an overgrown burial site of historical interest close to Kirriemuir town centre have been unveiled.
Members of Kirriemuir Community Council last week heard that a local funeral director's firm was undertaking the community project, with work expected to get underway in the spring.
The site in question is the Lyell family burial ground, situated to the rear of the Guide Hall in the Roods, Kirriemuir.
Dave Donald, of Strathearn's funeral directors in Kirriemuir, attended last week's meeting of Kirriemuir Community Council, to explain how the idea got off the ground.
Mr Donald said that Strathearn now comes under the umbrella of the Fairways Partnership, one of the largest groups of funeral directors in the UK.
"The company is keen for us to become more involved in the community," added Mr Donald.
In this, the 150th anniversary year of the birth of Kirrie playwright J. M. Barrie, the firm had thought of giving the Barrie family graves in Kirriemuir cemetery a tidy up, but that project has already been completed.
"We had a look around to see what else we could do this year, and the current condition of the Lyell burial site in the Roods was brought to our attention.
"Through local historian David Orr we made contact with Lord Lyell and we have been given his blessing to bring the grounds back up to an acceptable standard.
"We felt that, as the burial site is on the Kirriemuir Heritage Trail, there would be an opportunity for people to visit an area that is of historical significance."
Mr Orr agreed that sprucing up the site would be a worthwhile project, and he looked forward to work getting underway in April.
"When we put it on the heritage trail last year I noticed it was very overgrown with brambles, etc.
"I have passed a copy of the grave layout to David Donald and, after the undergrowth is cut back, he will get his monumental sculptor to look at what might be done to enhance the gravestones.
"I am also working with the museum on the Lyell display and hope to enhance a copy of the Lyell family tree there, to show who all is buried in the family burial ground.
"Among those buried there are the sisters of the world famous geologist Sir Charles Lyell, whose display is upstairs in the museum at present, hence the involvement of the museum."
Mr Orr was also able to bring "Dispatch" and "Herald" readers up to speed with the history of the site in question.
"The site is referred to in my book on the street names of Kirrie as the site of the former St Mary's Episcopal Church, which was built in 1795 and burnt down in 1902.
"This was then replaced by the Territorial Force Association's drill hall in 1911, and then converted to the Masonic Hall in 1928.
"The Girl Guide Association now have the use of the large hall while the Masonic Order still have possession of the rooms to the front.
"The burial ground was originally to the rear of the church, which was burnt down in 1902."
Kirriemuir Community Councillors gave the Strathearn's project their full support - and even suggested that some form of plaque could be erected on the gates to the site, to provide a brief history for those who take to the Kirriemuir Heritage Trail.
Meanwhile, Kirriemuir community councillors are to look into the possibility of giving the Barrie garden at the western end of Brechin Road (at the junction with School Wynd) a make-over.
Councillor Ian Mackintosh agreed to take the proposal back to the Angus director of neighbourhood services Ron Ashton to see what can be done to improve the garden ground, which is situated on the route to Barrie's Birthplace, and report back to the April meeting of the community council.
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Weather for Kirriemuir
Wednesday 08 February 2012
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