The memorial tablet inside the church porch
The text carved on this white marble tablet reads:
TO THE MEMORY
OF THOSE,
WHO THROUGH ACCIDENTS
LOST THEIR LIVES,
IN CONSTRUCTING THE
RAILWAY WORKS,
BETWEEN SETTLE, AND DENT HEAD.
THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED
AT THE JOINT EXPENSE,
OF THEIR FELLOW WORKMEN,
AND THE
MIDLAND RAILWAY COMPANY
1869 TO 1876.
The marked and unmarked graves
The churchyard is the final resting place for a significant number of 'navvies' (railway construction workers) and related family members who died during the period when the Settle & Carlisle railway was being built. The remains of six of these individuals lie in four marked graves and the inscriptions on the related headstones read as follows:
- In memory of John Jones of Ingleton Fells who died on the 27th of July 1872, Aged 17 years. “Affliction seized my dear son and snatched him from my sight, but Jesus took him to his breast and claimed him as his right”
- Sacred to the memory of John G Owen of Holyhead who died at Settle Feby 18th 1873 aged 19 years. Ai mewn bedd man Ioan back -O I’e. Ioan sy’n Ilwch bellach. Ond daw’n ol etto’n iach At ail vesi’n hi tlysach. (Translation from Welsh: Young John is now in his grave, John that is all ashes now, But he’ll come back a second time A thousand times better)
- In affectionate remembrance of Thomas Cooper of Newry who died at Settle Feb 22nd 1875 aged 23 years, also Thomas Ferris of Newry who died at Settle April 30th 1873 aged 28 years. Also Mary Jane Ferris who died at Settle aged 17 months. Not lost but gone before.
- In affectionate remembrance of Samuel Henry of Commons, Newry, Ireland who died at Settle, Yorkshire Oct 15 1874, aged 25 years. “Thy will be done”
An initial review of church records suggests that another fifteen 'navvies' may lie buried in unmarked graves somewhere in the churchyard.
The lives and deaths of some of these 'navvies' are being researched and documented as part of the "Settle Graveyard Project" and the results will be uploaded to the "Yorkshire Dales Community Archives" website at:
https://www.dalescommunityarchives.org.uk/content/catalogue_item/settle-graveyard-project
Acknoweldgements
This snippet was compiled by Mark R. Harvey (© Mark R. Harvey, 2020). The information relating to the navvy graves (including the inscriptions on the four headstones) was kindly provided by Sarah Lister, the coordinator of the "Settle Graveyard Project".