Visitors have been warned to take care in Heywood Churchyard after an inspection found a number of memorials to be unsafe.
An assessment by the Parochial Church Council for North Bradley, Southwick and Heywood (PCC) identified several headstones as unstable. Some have been temporarily fenced off while others have been laid flat to reduce the risk of injury.
Responsibility for repairing an unstable memorial rests with the descendant of the person named on the grave and efforts are now under way to trace families connected to a number of graves.
Information is being sought to help locate the relatives of those buried under memorials to Nelson Berrett, Walter Berrett, Jane Casey, George Dickerson, John Jenkins, Joseph Gumm, Kenneth Walter and Ivy Windle.
“If, after a reasonable period, it has not been possible to trace the descendant/s or heir-at-law, the PCC will go ahead and arrange for the necessary remedial work to be carried out,” said Vicar Fr Oliver Learmont.
The PCC said it was ready to advise and assist families who wish to arrange remedial work. All repairs must be agreed in advance and are subject to permission from the Diocese of Salisbury.
Anyone who believes they may be related to any of the named individuals, or who has information that could help locate their descendants, is asked to contact the PCC Secretary by email at secretary@threeinonebenefice.org.
