346 Design Jbr a Cemetery at Bristol. 



thin shoes, carry a child over about 90 yards of wet turf, and stand on it 

 during the service. Some persons, from a less cause than this, would have 

 been returned, in a short time, a corpse to the same grave, or have become 

 subject to rheumatic pains, or perhaps crippled for life. In a cemetery, this 

 evil can and ought to be remedied. Section 13 is a range of catacombs, built 

 with Hanham or Stapleton stone, and cased with natural rock, en masse. The 

 flight of steps at each end is intended to lead to a terrace in front of a second 

 range, in the centre of which a chasm may be formed, through which a path 

 should lead to a flight of steps ascending to the top of the rock, in which 

 irregular paths should be cut, with such a boundary on the outside as would 

 serve for a parapet. If this is carried into effect with judgment, and planted 

 in good taste, it may be rendered very attractive ; and the catacombs would 

 amply repay any extra expense it would occasion. The spot in front is 

 intended, chiefly, for forest trees, and the margin is intersected with walks 

 leading into two sections (lOand 1 1), with range of graves in each. The walks 

 in the margin would also lead to suitable retired spots for monuments : the 

 centre (14<) should be reserved for a handsome cenotaph or obelisk, and the 

 space around it should be kept open as a lawn. On the other side of the 

 road, in front of this range, should be erected the chapel (15), for which I offer 

 no design at present : it must, of course, depend on the amount of the sum 

 allowed for the purpose. The leading feature of my design, internally, should 

 be for monumental display. The road from the back of the chapel should 

 present, in the distance, a very interesting view of the Bristol High Cross (16), 

 which, I am informed, the present liberal owner would again spare to us, if a 

 suitable site were fixed upon to insure its preservation : but, if the original 

 could not be obtained, I should recommend erecting a model. This spot may 

 then be made the most interesting in the cemetery. I purpose raising it on a 

 sort of dais, or platform, of about 4 ft. in height: the ascent would be by a 

 flight of steps, a path from which would branch off right and left, and lead to 

 an ornamental cottage (17) for a gardener's residence j the centre room of 

 which should be a public saloon, from which the cross on the lawn would 

 have an intei*esting appearance. At the back of the cottage should be small 

 separate gardens for ladies and gentlemen ; and in the front an ornamental 

 flower-border. The whole of this spot I propose reserving for the repose of 

 those ennobled by birth or merit : those of the army or navy to be interred in 

 the vaults forming the half circles, with laurels planted within, so that the 

 branches may wave over them ; literary characters the same, with bays 

 planted within the circle, as well as laurels ; those whose merit has been 

 manifested by their benevolence should be interred in the circles with the 

 weeping ash or willow planted in the centre, to represent the feelings of the 

 widows and orphans they have benefited; and those whose merit entitled 

 them to a public funeral should be interred in a suitable vault under the cross. 

 On the east side of this spot (12), separated by a wall, is the ground allotted 

 for the interment of those who could not afford the expense of a separate 

 grave. This part should also be so arranged, that persons may have a dry 

 footpath to each grave, which, of course, would afford accommodation for 

 standing with more comfort than at present during the service, and would 

 enable them more seriously to attend to it : such an advantage would occasion 

 a decided preference over any other place of interment. On descending the 

 flight of steps from the dais, the chapel (13) would present itself as a very 

 interesting object : the footpath on the right would lead to a mausoleum 

 temple (18), with a vault underneath; continuing from this, the path 

 would lead to the entrance lodge, Wellington Place (2). The footpath 

 on the left would lead to the aquarium (20), and a druid's temple (21), 

 which I should wish to be composed of the stones, supposed originally to 

 have been devoted to that purpose, but now lying in our neighbourhood, 

 quite neglected ; three or four, for instance, at Stoke Bishop. Continuing 

 this path, it would lead to the entrance lodge, St. Paul's. Each of the walks 

 just named may be rendered very interesting, by the variety of evergreen and 



