New Zealand Ghosts & Other Haunts

I placed this topic here because I could not really find a more suitable place. This thread should be thought to be of use for all users posting pictures and stories, links about their cemeteries. It is not limited to Europe, could be NZ, Australia, U.S. etc. as well. And of course not all of those cemeteries are haunted, could be because they are old/ancient, but must not be. So my ones might not all be haunted.

So, I start with a private photo. It shows not a ghost but me, even if I look like one because the photograph is badly blurred. It has been taken by my father in 1988. At that time there have not been means of super-high-pixel digi cams. But I try to find one in the www. as well.

So, this shows me in 1988 on the ancient cemetery in Jedburgh (Scottish Lowlands) border town to Cumbria/Northern England, the beginning of Hadrian's wall.



I loaded it up via photobucket (I have some album collection there).

A picture from the web: Source: tp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/com ... bbey01.jpg



Nice more beautiful picture from the Jedburgh Abbey and cemetery: Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3034/273 ... bb.jpg?v=0



(Somehow here the picture does not work, but click on the picture's link given and it leads you directly to the picture)

A little description to the whole place: Source: http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/57 ... +cemetery/

From the site mentioned above:

Jedburgh Abbey CemeterySite type CIST
Canmore ID 57044
Site Number NT62SE 33
NGR NT 6510 2042
Council SCOTTISH BORDERS, THE
Parish JEDBURGH
Former Region BORDERS
Former District ROXBURGH
Former County ROXBURGHSHIRE


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Archaeological Notes
NT62SE 33 6510 2042.

The burial ground attached to Jedburgh Abbey was very extensive. In constructing the present road which passes through the Abbey precincts, two tiers of stone cists were removed (New Statistical Account [NSA, J Purves 1834] 1845) (Probably the road through Abbey Green - NT 6510 2042 - to Abbey Bridge built between 1823 and 1834 (J Wood 1823).
The upper layer contained "lengthways stone coffins" (probably the Abbey cemetery). Below this, short cists were found (J Hilson 1872).
Whilst a grave was being dug in 1854 to receive the coffin of the late Admiral Elliot, another short cist, containing a skeleton wrapped in a hide, was found.
A rubbing stone, found among the cists, was donated to the National Museum Antiquities Scotland in December, 1869, by J Hilson, Jedburgh. (Stone not located in Museum).
Although Miss Henshall classifies the lowest tier as possibly long cists (A S Henshall 1958) she has since retracted the statement (Information orally from A S Henshall, Assistant Keeper, National Museum Antiquities Scotland).
Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1871 (Donations).


Now the next place in south-east Ireland, Wicklow mountains, County Wicklow, Glendalough, also an old monastery. To explain Glendalough is in the old Irish language meaning in today's English: Valley (Gleann) of (dá) two lakes (locha). It has Celtic roots and is similar to Gaelic Scottish:

That is just a picture from the landscape with the lakes: Source: http://www.wicklowwaylodge.com/gallerie ... 0Lakes.jpg



Now a nice picture from the old cemetery and cloisture: Source: http://www.atpm.com/10.11/ireland/image ... ey-420.jpg



This is a nice Celtic cross: Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4X_iD2aoO3o/R ... -cross.jpg



A last one. I thought this one quite nice. It is an overall overview of the old cemetery: Source: http://www.radford.edu/~jolanta/regular ... ough11.jpg



According text: Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glendalough

I will cite only a short part of the text. What is all to be seen you can learn from the above link. There you can read about the monuments in the lower and upper valley.

Citation:
History of Glendalough
Kevin, a descendant of one of the ruling families in Leinster, studied as a boy under the care of three holy men, Eoghan, Lochan, and Eanna. During this time, he went to Glendalough. He was to return later, with a small group of monks to found a monastery where the 'two rivers form a confluence'. Kevin's writings discuss his fighting a "monster" at Glendalough; scholars today believe this refers to his process of self-examination and his personal temptations. [1] His fame as a holy man spread and he attracted numerous followers. He died in about 618. For six centuries afterwards, Glendalough flourished and the Irish Annals contain references to the deaths of abbots and raids on the settlement. [2]

At the Synod of Rath Breasail in 1111, Glendalough was designated as one of the two dioceses of North Leinster.

The Book of Glendalough was written there about 1131.

St. Laurence O'Toole, born in 1128, became Abbot of Glendalough and was well known for his sanctity and hospitality. Even after his appointment as Archbishop of Dublin in 1162, he returned occasionally to Glendalough, to the solitude of St. Kevin's Bed. He died in Eu, in Normandy in 1180.[2]

In 1214, the dioceses of Glendalough and Dublin were united and from that time onwards, the cultural and ecclesiastical status of Glendalough diminished. The destruction of the settlement by English forces in 1398 left it a ruin but it continued as a church of local importance and a place of pilgrimage. Descriptions of Glendalough from the 18th and 19th centuries include references to occasions of "riotous assembly" on the feast of St. Kevin on 3 June.[2]

The present remains in Glendalough tell only a small part of its story. The monastery in its heyday included workshops, areas for manuscript writing and copying, guest houses, an infirmary, farm buildings and dwellings for both the monks and a large lay population. The buildings which survive probably date from between the 10th and 12th centuries.[2]


Last step to cemetery visit guide is France, Cemetery Pére Lachaise

First nice wonderful angel sculpture: Source: http://www.paris.org/Expos/PereLachaise ... con.00.jpg



This is a nice alleyway to walk through the cemetery: Source: http://z.about.com/d/goparis/1/G/g/0/-/ ... ncohen.jpg



What an exquisite tombstone: Source: http://www.gusto.com/gusto_images/1_100 ... eature.jpg



One of the nice "little houses". In the back you can even the some street signs for one way etc. Great idea with phantastic architectural art: Source: http://pagesperso-orange.fr/amisduvieux ... chaise.jpg



According text: Source: http://www.paris.org/Expos/PereLachaise/pl.history.html

Citation:
A Bit of History
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Père François de La Chaise (1624 - 1709) was the confessor of Louis XIV, and lived in the Jesuit house rebuilt in 1682 on the site of the chapel. The property, situated on the side of a hill from which the king, during the Fronde, watched skirmishing between the Condé and Turenne, was bought by the city in 1804 and laid out by Brongniart, and later extended.
The first interments were those of La Fontaine and Molière, whose remains were transferred here in 1804. The monument to the tragic lovers Abélard and Héloïse was moved here in 1817, its canopy composed of fragments of the abbey of Nogent-sur-Seine.

In the eastern corner of the cemetery is the Mur des Fédérés, against which 147 Communards were shot at dawn on 28 May 1871, after their final resistance among the graves the night before. They were buried where they fell against the wall.

And you may have a look at the index of graves list: Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Moliére, Chopin, Rossini, Rothschild, Balzac...only some of its famous inhabitants. But have a look yourselves.


After a short look around, I have found really nearly next door to where I live (around 50 kms away) the most ancient cemetery in Germany. It is a Jewish one, situated in Worms.

According text: Source: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/germ ... metery.htm

Citation:
Heiliger Sand (Jewish Cemetery), Worms

In the southwest corner of the walled city of Worms is the Heiliger Sand, the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe. The green, peaceful grounds are home to hundreds of twisted and sunken tombstones, some more than 900 years old.

The earliest tombstone that is still standing dates from 1076; the last burial was in 1940. For unknown reasons, the graves do not have the customary orientation towards Jerusalem; the sole exception is the marytr Rabbi Meir von Rothenburg at the lowest point of the grounds.

The cemetery fell into disuse before the Holocaust: it was so full that by 1911, a new burial ground was created elsewhere and only established families could continue to use the Heiliger Sand. Miraculously, the cemetery was not destroyed under the Third Reich.

The old Jewish Quarter in Worms, containing the Alte Synagogue and Jewish Museum, is at the other end of town to the north.

The pictures are from the same site just beside the copied text to the right:








Hope that you will enjoy that little European ancient cemetery trip and I am looking forward to seeing your cemeteries posted and I am always open for comments and discussions to the cemeteries posted.

Wabun Wind

Thank-you, really interesting post. I love old cemeteries every headstone gives us a glimpse into history. i will have to dig out some of my cemetery shots.

Thanks C - and nice to see you too

I am going to spend some time looking at those links...they are such gorgeous old graveyards - I could get lost in them for hours!

Now the promised pictures. I have them all uploaded in photobucket album:

Those are gorgeous thanks C. I love that inner tomb picture draped with material. Its obvious he was a very important man. Beautiful.

The crumbling one with the ivy climbing up the side is eye catching too

Hi Wabun Wind

I was looking through your photos and the second too last one with a fountain of what looks to be blood coming out of it ???? what is comming out of the fountain ???. it does`nt look like water?
just to change the subject a bit, did you get my post on my OBE the past life regression therapist said i was also speaking in tounges which the therapist said he reconised as russian dialect

Its kinda depressing to think that when most of us in this day and age pass we won't have anything as eye popping as what those in ages past with money used to prop up.

As it is,I'd really like to go see that cemetry in New Orleans.

.......................

Hi Mylaa


those are very good photos did you take them your self

thanks taye

Hi taye.

You are right, it is no "uisge" (Water in Gaelic Well, I do not especially know the intention behind it but can only assume it. It sould be no blood either. I smelled red wine pouring out there. One of the famous things in Hungary besides salami and pepper is wine. And probably the inhabitant of the grave planned to have it with him....or it should simply show: Now I am in paradise...for a Hungarian not always the land of milk and honey but rather of wine.

Yes, a little time ago I have read your first experience. Spaciba, was really great, if you like to keep me informed, I would be glad.

Slàn agat (see you in Gaelic) *would be nice: We two throwing Gaelic*

Wabun Wind

I would like a fountain spouting a good burgandy. Very nice indeed.