By John Procter
Sixteen members of the Rotary Club of Calverley had a very interesting tour of The Rehoboth graveyard in Farsley to see the wonderful work undertaken by volunteers to bring the cemetery back so people can now visit.
Farsley Rehoboth burial ground covers two acres and is situated off Coal Hill Lane, close to the junction with Bagley Lane which is within a Conservation Area.
The Rehoboth was a place of internment from 1785 to 2000 and reflected the growth of Farsley, in particular its textile industry with many prominent residents buried behind its walls.
In total there are circa 4,000 local people interred in the Rehoboth all with their own stories and contribution to the history of Farsley and surrounding areas.
For decades there was no access to visit the hundreds of graves, which included eight registered War Graves. The neglect to the steep and wooded two acre site meant that its trees, shrubs and vines had grown out of control, covering all of the paths and headstones, making the site completely inaccessible.
Their charity was established in 2019 and since then, with the help of over 90 volunteers they have restored an acre of the land and graves to their former state.
The land itself has now been returned to the people of Farsley, Rodley and Stanningley as a Community Asset.
The aim of the charity is to promote, for the public benefit, the preservation, care and improvement of Farsley Rehoboth Burial Ground as a place of historic and ecological interest.
The charity will also advance the education of the public through the preservation and maintenance of Farsley Rehoboth Burial Ground.
Further information can be found here.
Sponsored content
