Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 05 September 1893

CUCKFIELD CHURCHYARD.

To the Editor of The Mid Sussex Times.

Dear Sir, —I should be glad of a little space to say a few words on the above.

It seems to me that the Committee of the Cuckfield Burial Board have done a wise thing in introducing notice boards to the effect that all persons who wilfully damage any tomb, seat, or tree in the Churchyard will be prosecuted.

This notice may be rather late, but “better late than never,” and it is to be hoped that the warning may have the desired effect. Lately seats and trees have been damaged without mercy, as for instance the seat in the lower path where some person or persons unknown had the audacity to decorate the seat with a full name and address.

As is quite natural most of the destruction is put down as the work of the school children, who, having an inadequate playground, swarm into the churchyard to eat their dinner and rest beneath the sheltering yews. No doubt they do a little damage, but, in my humble opinion, if the authorities are to take the pig by the right ear they must take measures, stern and severe, to prevent the “roughs” of Cuckfield from congregating there on Sunday afternoons.

These gentlemen are to be seen monopolising the seats, singing the “latest,” and insulting almost all who pass by. Here lies the root of all the evil, and one which for the sake of decency ought to be speedily removed.

Trusting that the Committee of the Burial Board will take measures to ensure our churchyard being what it should be,

I have the honour to remain

Yours truly,

H.E.S.

Sept. Ist, 1893, Cuckfield.