Kirkby Fleetham and Fencotes Remembrance lychgate unveiled

Kirkby Fleetham and Fencotes Parish Council obtained Lottery funding to build a new lychgate for their parish cemetery.

This project was unveiled last Sunday (November 10), which coincided with the relocation of a memorial plaque for 14 fallen soldiers from the Great War, which is now mounted within the lychgate. 

Children - Rollo and Niven Sinclair, Lucas Holmes Pearce, Esme Fearnley, Tilly Pitcher (Image: Kirkby Fleetham and Fencotes Parish Council) This plaque used to be on the porch of St Andrew’s Church, which now has obtained planning for a house.

It was a fitting memorial for Remembrance Sunday in Kirkby Fleetham and Fencotes, which saw wreaths laid within the lychgate by Lt Col (Retd) Alistair Cuthbertson and Lt Col (Retd) Gary Jones. 

The piper Simon Dowson (Image: Kirkby Fleetham and Fencotes Parish Council) There was an opportunity for all to reflect on the peaceful place which has been created for the community to enjoy and to remember loved ones. 

The wreaths in the Lychgate (Image: Kirkby Fleetham and Fencotes Parish Council) Past pupils of Kirkby Fleetham School officially cut the ribbon and the very well-attended gathering listened to The Lament played by local piper Simon Dowson and ‘In Flanders Fields’ sung by the Village Choir.

The Interpretation Board (Image: Kirkby Fleetham and Fencotes Parish Council) Chris Walker, chairman of the Parish Council, said: ‘’Although this project was primarily to fund the building of the lychgate, the whole community has benefited from the support of the heritage lottery in ways that we hadn’t first appreciated.

“Our school children have gained knowledge from experts in their field and learned about topics ranging from nature and wildlife to historical facts relating to their school and our local community. 

The plaque for the fallen soldiers (Image: Kirkby Fleetham and Fencotes Parish Council) "The community has had access to a heritage consultant, Virginia Arrowsmith, to give guidance and enthusiasm to benefit further research into the history of our forebears.

"The legacy this has left is a knowledgeable community, confident in further delivery of oral history and research for an area.”

As a lasting display of this all-encompassing project, an interpretation board designed locally by Rebecca Pitcher can be appreciated just inside the gateway.