Headstone relocation at St George’s Church approved by Lichfield Diocese
Despite opposition from local residents the Diocese of Lichfield Consistory Court has given approval for St George’s Church to re-site 7 headstones in the churchyard in order to create a “Village Green” at the back of the church.
The headstones are memorials to local residents who lived between the 1830’s and early 1900’s including one of Corporal John Cope of the Coldstream Guards who saw action during the Crimean War and was badly wounded at the Siege of Sevastopol and was nursed back to health by Florence Nightingale.
The church received Pride in Your High St Funding earlier this year to fund an number of projects at the church including repair of the church clock, installation of a toilet and the creation of a “village green”.
Given the funding for the projects came from Telford & Wrekin Council the focus is now also on the council to intervene in the dispute especially as they are responsible for grounds maintenance since the churchyard closed to burials some years ago.
Residents of the area continue their opposition to the plans despite the ruling from the Diocese and have created a petition which they are hoping to present to the Church, Local Councillors and the local MP in order to persuade the the church to abandon the idea of the “village green”. The petition can be found on Change.org
The judgement of the Diocese of Lichfield was reported on in the local newspaper the Shropshire Star
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