Thanks Graham for the rather sad news, about the MI in Alberbury, looks like I won't need lots of sharp pencils. It has happened so often, it is now almost a surprise when the churchyard is still in tact. And I never know wether to be happy or sad when the memorials have been re-used as paths (eg. Holt denbs) or placed around the churchyard walls (eg. Malpas ches) but it has to be better than the complete disappearance ( eg. Worthenbury Flints) and that is just off the top of my head ! I think I will post my Shrops interests, to cheer myself up ;o) all the best Catherine on Threapwood, Cheshire (churchyard in tact) Hi Catherine In 1965 the incumbent of Alberbury initiated a programme for having the old graveyard cleared and in 1970 after being ratified by the Hereford Consistory Court, the tombstones were removed. A local contractor, working in early winter, "bulldozed" the yard. He sought help from the church members to place the tombstones upright in a safe area but the help was not forthcoming, so he offered most of the head-stones to local farmers who used them as pavings and as ramps for their animals. My great-great-great grandparents, Thomas & Martha Peate's headstones, ended up as a ramp for pigs and cattle to thunder over. One farmer took 24 of them to make a ramp for his animals. Needless to say, when I first came upon this little bit of history, I was very upset. Regards Graham