Forum Topic

The decommissioned St Lawrence's Church still stands ...

Work is currently taking place on the old Church building with scaffolding all around.The plan, it seems, is for the building to be open to the public... with a café cumcoffee lounge and a meeting place.The Church Tower is some 600 years old,the interior timbered ceiling is being given tlc and wall plaques still survive.The Church is owned by Hounslow Council for whom the work is being undertaken..

Jim Lawes ● 762d14 Comments

" About 10,500 souls are buried there"and Ballymore were able to proceed under the noses of Hounslow Council, the local Councillors, and officers of local Churches."As Vanessa would say " you couldn't make it up"Arise Brentford. Your future generations will be appalled.Thank you Jim for your sterling knowledge.

Jim Lawes ● 712d

Beware of experts, but I'm not one!There has been a religious establishment on this site since about the 12th century and it's estimated that about 10,500 souls were buried there.The remains of about 850 individuals have been disinterred (to make way for a block of 18 flats) and they will be reburied at Brookwood Cemetery near Woking. Brookwood is a favourite site of archaeologists.The treatment of the burial grounds by Ballymore has not been their finest moment. However, the Ronalds' family vault and several headstones will be incorporated within the landscaping scheme. The Grand Junction Water Company Fountain, next to the High Street will be retained and restored.There is much more information on this topic.

Jim Storrar ● 713d

Not deaf ears at the council. From memory (because it was discussed a while ago) any work on a graveyard and in particular relocating remains needs to be approved by the CofE. I understand Ballymore went through that, but Jim will be the local expert!

Guy Lambert ● 713d

Jim Storrar's postings on this Forum over the years are formidable. Just enter his name in the Forum's SEARCH BOX and you will have a full evening's education!.But I couldn't quickly find his mention of 8000 souls buried in the Graveyard.

Jim Lawes ● 713d

That graveyard hardly seemed big enough to accommodate that many bodies but Jim Storrar does tend to know what he's talking about.

Anne England ● 713d

Some 10 years ago... Jim Storrar posted a message on this Forum to say that some 8,000-10,000 bodies were buried in the  graveyard. Thus the removal of less than 900 to Brookwood and the building of a leisure centre (solely for the use of Ballymore residents) partly on the remaining graveyard does sound worthy of investigation.But such alarms seem.to fall on deaf ears for the most part.

Jim Lawes ● 713d

Complete with animatronic Ronalds.

Raymond Havelock ● 728d

The Ronalds family tomb is to be refurbished and it will stay exactly where it was built.

Jim Storrar ● 729d

I wonder what happened to the Ronalds family tomb ?If they have been naming blocks and streets after Hugh and his apples it is to be hoped that his remains were properly looked after.http://www.sirfrancisronalds.co.uk/vault.html

Tim Henderson ● 730d

The removal of remains seems to have been rather cloaked.  Families not all contacted and trucks running up and down over parts of the burial areas.There are graves from the Battle of Brentford, Graves from Brentfords Industrial and prosperous era, a few War Graves and those from more recent times until the church was decommissioned.Finding out much more seems rather hard to do from those officials involved.This area, the Morrisons and Heidelberg areas are a very deep seam of archeological history and interest which had restrictions on development in the 1970s so it does seem baffling now that far more intense and deep development is being permitted in this later age of enlightenment with nothing to incorporate or protect such remains.

Raymond Havelock ● 732d

Regarding the graveyard.We are aware that many hundreds of graves were dug up and relocated to Brookwood with the blessing and acknowledgement of local church elders.More recently according to a notice on a lamppost near Brentford Bridge further remains, gravestones etc have been subject to happenings..perhaps without the awareness of locals.Anyone in the know? See the lamp post.

Jim Lawes ● 734d

The private spa (being called the WICK located in a new St Lawrence Gardens) is a separate new building fairly close to St Lawrence Church.The Church itself is being converted into a Community Hub / Cafe/ Lounge ... and will be retaining as many original features as possible...including the dog trough.

Jim Lawes ● 758d

As I understand it it is owned by Ballymore. It is a listed building in a fragile state, hence the scaffolding etc (though I'm not close to this issue, which is in the Syon and Brentford Lock ward).I also understand that it has to be retained as a community asset and I know there has been some discussion about how that will be achieved.I will make some enquiries to seek an update but certainly my understanding it will be a public accessible with some kind of community use and not for profit.

Guy Lambert ● 759d

It will be a private Spa for Ballymore

Richard Hunt ● 759d