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Sunday 27 February 2011

Tombs with a view


(Click on photo to enlarge it)
Undercliffe Cemetery  is perched on top of a hill in Bradford.  The city itself (to the left of this picture) sits in a bowl, nestled among the surrounding hills.  In Victorian times, most of the growing population was crammed into a small central area, in terribly crowded and insanitary conditions.  So land was bought, well away from the population centre, to provide much need burial space.

The well-to-do folks (Titus Salt and his young wife among them) started to build large houses out to the north-west, into the areas known as Manningham and Heaton.  In those days the city didn't extend anything like as far as it does now.  In the early 19th century, much of what you can see here would have been green fields and moorland with a few hamlets dotted around.  Salt chose a greenfield site to build his new mill and village of Saltaire.

This photo is taken from the edge of Undercliffe Cemetery, looking north-west.  You can just see Saltaire in the middle distance - the tall chimney on the right is Salts Mill, sitting right down in the bottom of the Aire river valley. The church a little in front and to the left is St Paul's Church, Shipley.  Even further left, towards the middle of the photo, is the tower of Shipley's Roman Catholic Church, St Walburga's.  The patch of green on the far left middle is part of Northcliffe Park in Shipley.  Undercliffe Cemetery and Saltaire are almost exactly contemporary - Salts Mill was opened in 1853 and the first burial in the cemetery was in 1854.

(see also earlier posts - click the Cemetery label below)

16 comments:

  1. This is really fascinating! I read Her Fearful Symmetry a few weeks ago and now I think graves and old cemetery are so interesting!

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  2. I do so love wandering around cemeteries and looking at the inscriptions on old grave stones..wonderful and your photo certainly depicts a fabulous view as well..

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  3. Love the photo, nice choice of chimney-colored frame (or was it winter grass colored? ) Reminds me of my first view over Huddersfield.

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  4. I love this view of places I almost recognize.

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  5. Amazing photograph. Re: your post to my blog. People in Wisconsin refer to themselves as Cheeseheads because there are alot of Dairy farms in that state.

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  6. It is a beautiful view! I love old cemeteries.

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  7. I love to look out over a view and spot landmarks; especially when I am familiar with some of them.

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  8. It's sometimes difficult to imagine how were the places in old times..Today, this cemetery with the silence around, maybe some wind breathing,has become a perfect spot to enjoy this marvellous view.

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  9. Love the view on this photo, will be visiting Bradford next week for the brass band contests at st georges hall.

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  10. Interesting how many cemeteries are built on the side or tops of hills. I guess the living hope their loved ones have a beautiful view. Or maybe they want a beautiful view when they go to visit. Anyway, we got a good view from your vantage point here.

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  11. You'd think they'd put the cemetarys in another location and their houses on top of the hill, but then maybe that would have been too far from everything. Either way, lovely image!

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  12. Jenny, I just linked to your "Grey Days" post in one of mine - that may be the equivalent of having nominated you in a meme (the Stylish Blogger award - sorry, I'm new to memes and am a little uncertain)... It's not meant to be an imposition, just a mark how much I enjoy your blog! If you do want to participate in the meme, list a handful of things about yourself and link to 10 other blogs. Cheers.

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  13. For some reason this reminds me a little of Carlton Hill in Edinburgh though there isn't Princes Street down below. Marvellous shot.

    Thank you so much for your comment on Artsy Versailles.

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  14. Yes I spotted Salts Mill right away with that tall chimney! That is a wonderful vantage point up there. ~Lili

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