On the laying out, planting, and managing of cemeteries; and on the improvement of churchyards. With sixty engravings / by J. C. Loudon.

  • John Claudius Loudon
Date:
1843
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the laying out, planting, and managing of cemeteries; and on the improvement of churchyards. With sixty engravings / by J. C. Loudon. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

    65/144 page 53
    already been given in Divisions II. and III. as belonging to the subject oC cemeteries generally. Jtepoi t on the Design for a Cemetery proposed to be formed at Cambridge: made, by Order of the Directors, by J. C. Loudon. [Referring to Plans and Sections, Nos. I. to 15.] The Ground purchased by the Cambridge Cemetery Company was, by the desire of the directors, inspected by us on Nov. 8. 184.2. It lies in an open airy situation, in the neighbourhood -of the town. The extent is 3^ acres, and the tenure freehold; The surface is flat, with a gentle inclination to one end, from which there is a tolerably good drainage, by means of a public drain along the margin of the New Huntingdon Road, to the river. The soil is a compact blue clay ; its present state is in broad high ridges, which have recently borne corn crops, and the soil is therefore favourable for vegetation to the depth of 8 or 9 inches. The ground is enclosed on three sides by a recently planted thorn hedge, and the fourth, or north, side is open to a field of similar surface and soil. The Object of the Cemetery Company is to form a cemetery chiefly for the middle class of society, the total expense of which, including the purchase of the land, shall not exceed 2000/.; that being the sum raised by the Company in 200 shares of 10/. each. The sum paid for the land being 400/., there remain 1600/. for building and arranging the ground. The duties of the reporter, therefore, are to show the directors, by plans, specifications, and estimates, how the ground may be arranged, and the ne- cessary buildings erected, for the sum of 1600/.; to suggest rules and regu- lations for the use and management of the cemetery ; to point out the duties of the curator; and to offer any other suggestions to the directors that may occur to him. The Principles which have been borne in mind by the reporter, in comply- ing with the desire of the directors, are as follows : That, to prevent all risk of desecration or indecency, the arrangements be such as that no part of a coffin, or of its contents, can ever be again exposed after interment, and, in particular, that no human bone can ever be disturbed. That, the cemetery being intended for all sects and parties indiscriminately, consecration by any one party would be improper. That a lodge for the curator, and a shed and yard adjoining and connected with it, for his imple- ments, planks, barrows, &c., are essential. That a chapel, for all who may choose to make use of it, is also essential. That the frontage, and a portion of the ground along the Histon Road, be not included in the plan in the first instance, in case the cemetery should not succeed ; but that the general plan be so contrived that the frontage may be added afterwards, without deranging the cemetery part of the original design. That, the general outline of the ground being rectilinear, and the surface nearly level, the interior walks, borders, and beds, should be chiefly rectilinear and level also, as well for the sake of harmony of forms and lines, as for economy of space. That, in order to throw the whole into an agreeable shape, and form a reserve ground [e, in the plan fig. 33. p. 56.] for soil, bricks, and other materials produced or required in digging graves, building vaults, &c., the walk and hedge at one end should be formed within the outer fence. That, as moisture in a moderate degree contributes to the decomposition of animal matter, while in excess, in a strong clayey soil, it changes muscular fibre into adipocere, and also because there is a prejudice against burying in a very wet soil, it is desirable that the ground be drained; but that, as there is not a sufficient outlet for deep drainage so as to carry off the water from the bottom of brick graves or vaults, it is desirable that the surface of the ground should be so arranged as to carry off as much as possible of the rain water falling on it. That, to contribute to the dryness of the surface, and also because it has been ascertained that the gases from decaying bodies wii! rise to the surface from E 3
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3