The history of Cardiff can be read through the engraved epitaphs spread throughout it, but Cathays Cemetery lies unnoticed and forgotten by most of us.
After decades of neglect the two chapels at the entrance to the 19th century cemetery are now a fenced off eyesore, where once they provided a grand welcome to the quiet retreat just outside the little, but growing, town of Cardiff.
A group from the welsh capital, The Friends of Cathays Cemetery, want the two chapels to be brought back to their former glory from their current crumbling state. They've set up a petition to try and encourage Cardiff Council to repair and maintain the grade 2 listed chapels.
Cathays Cemetery itself is one of the biggest cemeteries in the UK and was built in 1859, when Cardiff was just a small town.
Buried in the grounds are a number of characters from Cardiff relatively short history, including boxer 'Fearless' Jim Driscoll, who reportedly missed a world title fight because of a previous commitment to visit some nuns, Ernest Thompson, who pioneered hot air balloons during the first world war, as well as many of the men who helped established Cardiff as the biggest exporter of coal in the world.
A similarly historic cemetery in Bristol was featured on the BBC's Restoration programme, but no one has noticed the fact that Cardiff's biggest cemetery is decaying. The buildings are two twin chapels, one Church in Wales, the other for denominations such as methodists.
To give your support to the decaying funeral chapels sign the petition set up by the Friends of Cathays Cemetery. There are also guides of the cemetery aimed at visitors who want to walk around and find out a little of the history buried in the 110 acres site.
After decades of neglect the two chapels at the entrance to the 19th century cemetery are now a fenced off eyesore, where once they provided a grand welcome to the quiet retreat just outside the little, but growing, town of Cardiff.
A group from the welsh capital, The Friends of Cathays Cemetery, want the two chapels to be brought back to their former glory from their current crumbling state. They've set up a petition to try and encourage Cardiff Council to repair and maintain the grade 2 listed chapels.
Cathays Cemetery itself is one of the biggest cemeteries in the UK and was built in 1859, when Cardiff was just a small town.
Buried in the grounds are a number of characters from Cardiff relatively short history, including boxer 'Fearless' Jim Driscoll, who reportedly missed a world title fight because of a previous commitment to visit some nuns, Ernest Thompson, who pioneered hot air balloons during the first world war, as well as many of the men who helped established Cardiff as the biggest exporter of coal in the world.
A similarly historic cemetery in Bristol was featured on the BBC's Restoration programme, but no one has noticed the fact that Cardiff's biggest cemetery is decaying. The buildings are two twin chapels, one Church in Wales, the other for denominations such as methodists.
To give your support to the decaying funeral chapels sign the petition set up by the Friends of Cathays Cemetery. There are also guides of the cemetery aimed at visitors who want to walk around and find out a little of the history buried in the 110 acres site.
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