Sheffield - graveyards and football

While I had to work during Whitney's first week here (people at home wondered whether I was imaginary), I had Good Friday off from work and we headed to Sheffield. Although this wasn't particularly planned, I guess it's kind of funny that we went to a graveyard on Good Friday, and the only experience that might be more religious for some people; a football game!

We started with an English breakfast at a super cute cafe in an industrial area called The Daily Grind. While Justin and Whitney both had the full English breakfast (eggs, toast, sausages, back bacon, tomatoes, portobello mushroom) and a couple of lattes, I had a modified eggs benedict. This had smoked haddock covered in rarebit (a melted cheese, and not rabbit, as I have learned on this trip) on top of english muffins, topped with perfectly-done eggs and 'some purple stuff' as my sister Shannon commented when I sent her a picture. It was so delicious that we got some extra food for takeaway and ate it for lunch!

The daffodils are starting to die back, but since they started blooming in January we can't really be mad!

Between lunch and the football match, Justin had read about one of the most haunted graveyards in England, so we headed over to see what it was about. I don't really believe in ghosts, but I do believe this was one of the most eerie and beautiful places we've visited so far!

The cemetery was consecrated in 1859, and most of the gravestones we saw were from the 1890s through the 1930s. It was closed in 1968, partly because there is a train track running through it (!) and the vibrations from the trains were collapsing the graves and headstones. There was also a scandal in 1862 where the citizens of the town accused the vicar of selling their loved ones' bodies to medical schools for dissection - however the 'only' thing he was found guilty of was reusing graves to save money (and possibly effort). Amazingly, he remained the vicar of the church there afterwards.

The graveyard is completely overgrown with ivy and trees, but there is a local group who volunteers their time to try and keep the headstones clear.

Headstone poems are a weird concept to me. Is there a book that you read through, to find one that closely matches the passing of your loved one? Is it up to the person who makes the headstone? Does the family compose it?

I can't imagine how creepy this place would be at night - however we also wouldn't have been able to really see what was happening or read the headstones

This tree grew up completely around this headstone  (on all sides) since the cemetery fell into disrepair

There are two portions to the cemetery - the wooded area that these pictures were from had the majority of the graves. Once you cross the train tracks and head up the hill there are fewer graves, and almost no trees.

I think this was the saddest grave for me. We were so caught up in the atmosphere and otherworldly beauty of the wooded area that it was easy to forget that these were people who had families that loved them - and in some cases still have to come to this graveyard if they wish to mourn them. This grace had what looked to me like a winter wreath placed on it, meaning someone had been here in the last 6 months. What does it feel like to see your family member's resting place in such a state?

 

As we walked up the hill there were signs of a recent grass fire, and then we came around the corner and saw this site. Lightning or intentionally set fire? It was amazing and strange to see the blackened gravestones, although there seemed to be little in the way of actual damage.

  

Here are two gravestones that we spent a lot of time on:

I get that Manwaring was married to Ann Smith, and Joseph Gilbert was married to Sarah Ann Cowley. Can anyone figure out their link or why they are buried together?

On that happy note, time to go to a football match?

The Sheffield United Blades are a team in League One, the third-highest tier in the UK's many football leagues. They were founded in 1889, and play at Bramall Lane, which was built in 1855 as a cricket ground. The turnstiles to get in are tiny (I wish we'd gotten a picture but were trying not to hold up the bag check line and be late) - I guess there are no overweight British football fans?

You're not supposed to take photos or video inside the stadium (although I think it's more about not using them for commercial use - regardless we didn't want to get kicked out!) so we just took a few quick shots between play.

Pre-game selfie

View from our seats. Most of the seats are for Home supporters, and the stand to our left (out of the picture) is the only place Away supporters are allowed to sit - I guess to prevent riots?

There's a bit of a view of the Away stands. If there isn't enough demand, then don't open the lower tier, supposedly to keep them from messing with the players. The opposing tier, on the other hand, is the most popular one and was standing-room only even though there were plenty of seats elsewhere. They are known for being the noisiest fans and keep the 'Bramall Roar' going throughout the game. No vuvuzelas though, thank god!

 Concessions are very different at these games. We assumed you purchased drinks and took them down into the stands. So when we arrived, 10 or 15 minutes before the match started, we each bought a pint (cider for me! Thank god cider is a big thing in the UK) then found out we couldn't get to our seats with them. This picture captures the followup well:

However, if you want to buy a pot pie at concession and take it to your seat? Knock yourself out!

After the game (the Sheffield Blades won although they really didn't deserve to - they had a lousy second half) we took some quick pictures of the empty stadium

Go Blades!

After the game, on the way to dinner we found this nice church and the Wonder Twins decided to do some bouldering:

The walkway to the church was entirely gravestones. Does this make anyone else feel uncomfortable, or is it just me? "Oops, sorry for stepping on your grave, John Smith."

All in all it was a great day, and Whitney continues to be our good-luck charm for decidedly un-British beautiful weather!