Roland Cropper's memories:
"It would appear that the 1881 church was built on the site of the first church at the front and south side, with the building being extended on the arch over the river. I can remember the headstone of Jonathan Barcroft which was no. 3 in the second range (section 'A' not V.N.) and there was a substantial footpath between this and the Chapel front and also down the south side, with a garden area between the flagged area and the road to the river. So the large stone steps at the front of the Chapel must have been over the first two rows of graves. It is also generally assumed that there were graves under the flagged pavement from the front of the chapel to the gate on the main road, now covered by car park."

Layout of lower burial ground

Layout of upper burial ground

Graves in sections 'A' to 'E'and 'V.N.' are in the lower burial ground and graves in section 'F' are in the upper burial ground.

Graves in section 'A' or 'Old Ground' are numbered by range (or row) and then the number within the row. The first burial in section 'A' was of Peggy Taylor of Walls buried 5/10/1830.

Section 'B' was also known as the 'Wall range'. Presumably when the 1830/31 church was built there was a wall here enclosing the land. With the purchase of the adjoining land this wall would have been removed and there was room for a row of graves where the wall had been. The first burial in section 'B' was of John Ed Ashworth of Clough buried 24/12/1870.

Dates of first burials in other sections:
'C': Thomas Pilkington of Edgeside (2/3/1871)
'D': Benjamin T Chaffer of Annis View (30/11/1885)
'E': John Albert Maden of Forest Holme (13/1/1882)
'F': Florence Lilian Crisp of Scout (31/10/1891)

The graves numbered V.N. were in the Vestry Nook section. This was off the corner of the 1831 chapel. There would appear to have been three rows.

[Source: notes made by Roland Cropper.]

The oldest existing headstone in the graveyard is on grave 8 row 6 in section A and reads "William Clegg innkeeper who was the founder of this school"