HERITAGE LOTTERY PROJECT

 

RYDE CEMETERY RESTORATION PROJECT

The Ryde Cemetery Restoration project initiative is aimed at conserving and restoring one of Ryde's most significant key historical sites taking it back, wherever possible, to its former Victorian glory.

With the award of Lottery Heritage Funding this will enable the Friends of Ryde Cemetery in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council  to enhance the heritage value of the cemetery by:

  • Repairing and restoring the original Victorian Chapels, a number of key historic tombs and monuments and historical walls and railings.

  • Ensure that the cemetery is safely conserved for the long term by robust conservation led repair methods.

  • Increasing the knowledge of heritage skills through the training work delivered as part of the project.

  • Increasing the usage and appreciation of the cemetery as a heritage site

  • Through the creation of a conservation area within the cemetery and potentially a local nature reserve

The project will also enhance the ecological heritage value of the cemetery, which is rich in wildflowers and provides a home to butterflies, foxes, bats and other birds and manuals. 

In restoring the cemetery the project will be creating a heritage conservation area and one of the chapel's will provide a Resource Learning Centre to enable local interest groups, schools, relatives and local community to learn more about the Town of Ryde and the legacy it has created.  

 

 The project falls within three key areas of construction:

a)      Restoration of buildings, boundary walls, paths and entrance gates

b)      Identification of the environmental/conservation value, clearance and future management plan for cemetery park area

c)      Genealogy research centre, mapping and restoration of identified significant graves, vaults and tombs.

The main aim of the project is to conserve and restore the cemetery, and its associated heritage, by encouraging local community, schools, local interest groups, youth and families to have active involvement in the restoration of the cemetery and its future sustainability.  

Set out below  are the key factors and objectives: 

  •  the architectural and rich historical examples of monumental grave stones

  •  three historically interesting buildings

  •  stone boundary walls, entrance gates and railings

  •  genealogical interest

  •  remarkable ecological area, rich in wild flowers, trees, shrubs, ivy, litchens etc., and wildlife

  •  large green space within the urban setting of Ryde 

         Key objectives

  •  restoration of the three chapels, brick entrances, gates, railings and boundary walls

  •  development of a learning centre within the existing North chapel within the cemetery

  •  restoration and repair of paths, driveway and flower beds

  •  signage area during restoration works

  •  signposted heritage trail - historic, nature and aesthetic values with seating on route

  •  training provision and practical applications (traditional/heritage skills, restoration, conservation, genealogy)

  •  school projects, youth activity

  •  local heritage interest - events and promotional activities 

  •  walks and field projects

  •  newsletters and promotional, informative literature, booklets

  •  conservation area - historical landscape assessment

  •  photographic evidence and recording of each stage of restoration 

The project would also like to alleviate fears in relation to the future security of the cemetery. Concerns of misuse will be alleviated by creating a regular presence in the cemetery through both the permanent commercial use of the Mortuary Chapel and the opening of the Heritage learning centre. It is also proposed to appoint a fulltime council funded sextant towards the end of the project to oversee the cemetery and its activities, which will include visiting graves, pursuing historic interest, engaging in local learning, undertaking conservation work and attracting community volunteering, supervised school activity and local interest groups.

All cemeteries provide a tangible link to local history. The Victorian prosperity of Ryde is reflected in the considerable number of stone memorials, vaults and tombs of many families whose members played a key role in the history of Ryde, and who are buried here. As such Ryde cemetery forms an integral part of not just the town but also the Islands Victorian Heritage. The creation of a small heritage learning centre in the North Chapel will not only encourage people to visit the cemetery but it will also be made available to schools and other interested groups. As well as being open to visitors it will provide the Friends of Ryde Cemetery and other appropriate voluntary groups with a base from which to work. In this respect the location of the North Chapel is significant as many of the aldermen and other prominent families that paid for or built many of the buildings in Ryde are buried here. The cemeteries future will be sustained by increasing its value to the community and by generating revenue through the leasing of the mortuary to be reinvested on the site. The creation of commercial office space in this building leased at market rates to an appropriate private organisation will ensure that the heritage value of the site is maintained. When advertised a green transport policy will be encouraged and full access and toilet facilities will be outlined.
 

Training           Training activities

As the project moves forward there will be variety of training actives made available, (listed below)that local volunteers can participate in along with activities specifically aimed at local schools  

  • Traditional skills

  • Genealogy research

  • Conservation restoration and mapping

  • School programme (primary, middle, high and Ryde School)

Plus 70 sessions involving participating school children on collective projects

a)      Stain glass window – research, identification of theme and design 

b)      Corner stone markers – Mapping the cemetery and identification of plot areas

c)      Conservation work involving flora, fauna and bio diversity of area.

d)      Creation of leaflet (publication) of conservation interest

e)      Mapping of graves and local historical connections

f)        Art, design and photography for heritage trail signage

g)      Assisting in the content, design and layout of learning centre

 

All the above activity to be part of local school initiatives, some bespoke to particular school learning objectives, some collective partnership across Ryde education sector.

Learning materials to be provided by the schools and training providers engaged for delivery.

Conservation Management:       

 Management plan