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King Charles the Martyr Parish Church Graveyard

Behind Falmouth's parish church (in the centre of town) is a grassy open space climbing the hill to Wodehouse Terrace. The interesting history of this patch of ground is lost to many of Falmouth's residents, who often assume the site has always been used for dog-walking or view-taking. But a closer look reveals a scattering of gravestones, leant against walls or covered with ivy. These relics are a clue to the site's actual history; the entire hillside here is a disused graveyard, opened in 1664 and closed in the 1850s because the ground was literally overfilled with the dead. In the 1960s the headstones were cleared to make the site easier to maintain, but the bodies were left in place. Today, there is nothing on the hillside to explain this fascinating history to passers-by, but it is hoped that a new initiative will soon see the area improved and new signs erected for the benefit of visitors. Watch this space.