We at Moggerhanger Park are very proud of our connection with the Thornton Family, as you would expect, and so it was that one day one of our volunteers (Editors Note Roy Chadwick is being VERY modest here) picked up a copy of the ‘Thornton Walk’ leaflets.
On getting to the St Edmonds and St Johns church at Blunham they took a look at the Thornton Family Mausoleum, which is through the arch at the back of the main church building, only to find a mess.

The place was very over grown with Elder trees growing up behind the guttering, Ivy up all the walls and Brambles growing over most of the remanding land. It was totally neglected.

This seemed a great pity for a family that did so much good in their time. For it to be highlighted on a walk in such a state and also the fact it is mentioned on a web site as over grown seemed a shame.

The Blunham Church warden was contacted and agreed to show us round and lend us the key for a while. He told us that the last time the site was cleared was five years ago.
This was easy to believe. He also told us that some years ago the lead from the roof had been stolen and that to date no funds had been found to redress the situation.

We at Moggerhanger Park are very familiar with this hardship.

Some photographs of the original state were taken just for the records.
Then the first task was to open the gate, totally blocked by soil, so it would not budge either way.

This being achieved the brambles then needed to be cut away to afford access.
At this stage there was no way round the building for growth. Slowly the Elder was cleared and then the Brambles, followed by the removal of the ivy from the Mausoleum walls, the ivy from the ground, clearing of the gutters and finally the ivy from the railings and wall.

This left a big pile of cleared undergrowth to take away.
Only now could the site and building be assessed. The roof ridge wood was exposed, where the lead had been taken, some slates had slipped and compost had formed on the roof allowing wild flowers to grow.

Lower down water and frost had blow the rendering from the walls in places. The walls were discoloured green by damp.

On one side in particular most of the lime wash was absent. Lime wash had to be applied. Also the mesh grill from two windows was missing.

The door paint was flaking and in one place a panel was missing having been kicked in.

The door was insecure showing movement if touched.
The surrounding concrete had moved and was cracked allowing weeds and brambles to grow.

The railings were rusty and in places at the bottom they were no longer in the wall. The wall was cracked in places.

The top of the gate had some spikes missing.

In the far corner an Elder tree had, over the years of neglect, grown into the railings.

Inside the arrangement is, on three sides, chambers for six coffins and on the door side were four chambers.

Each radiate from the walls outwards underneath the grounds outside.

Some of the tablets had their inscriptions intact and others seemed to be damaged by water.

In all there are 19 in use, three are spare.

After much patience and skilled, hard labour, the Thornton Mausoleum is practically unrecognisible by those who have looked after the churchyard for the last thirty years.



There is a little more work to do but with attention twice a year we should be able to see a Mausoleum we are proud of and remember the Thornton family as they would hope to be remembered.

I hope you can pay it a visit.

Roy Chadwick