About two weeks after the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of HM the Queen on June 4th, the Old Churchyward had to be closed to the pbulic. Unfortunately, a lady walking in the churchyard put her foot and leg into a hole in the ground. On inspection no solid floor could be found. Further inspection has indicated that the hole, some 9 imches square, occurred where part of the cover to the entrance to the vault below had collapsed.
The vault belongs to the Orkney Family. The Old Churchyard was closed to all burials in 1881 by Order in Council, except when the vaults were used. The Orkney vault was last accessed som 30-40 years ago. A collapse occurred in 1969. The current 9th Earl of Orkney is possibly the son of the kinsman of the 8th Earl of Orkney, whose second wife was Canadian born. The current Earl is a reader in politics at the University of Manitoba where he lives, but does not use his his title. So far no contact with the Earl has been achieved.
Following the subsidence, the problem was inspected by English Heritage together with Mr. Elias Kupfer an Archaelologist and the Rev. Alan Dibden. Repair work will require specialist capability, by such as Clivden Restoration Workshops due to the danger of identifying what really has happened, and that no further collapse occurs. If, as seems possible, the collapse is due to the wooden support of the earth over the entrance rotting, then the extent of any posible further collapse will have to be checked together with any of the vaults in the churchyard.
Before any work can be commenced English Heritage with their ancient monuments department will have to determine what is to be done. After consent has been achieved a faculty will be needed, but this should not be a problem.
Costs for this restoration are virtually impossible to estimate, but less than £5,000-£10,000 is most unlikely.
It is improbable that any decisions are likely before this Autumn/year end, so sadly, the Churchyard will have to remain closed to all in the meantme, due to health and safety and lack of insurance. The current insurance covers only public liability which is no longer in operation due to the dangers involved.
