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Lychgate

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644: 438: 560: 369: 659: 513: 384: 544: 490: 238: 403: 576: 632: 470: 454: 596: 612: 529: 31: 422: 708: 333:. Stone lychgates may create an increased aural awareness of the transition from one space to another by creating a tangible contrast between sounds inside and outside. In England, there was a folk belief that the spirit of the last person buried stands watch at the gate till the next is buried, leading to funeral fights at the entrance to decide which corpse should be buried first. 357: 345:, at the end of the wedding as the bride and groom leave the church the gates are closed (or where there is an absence of gates a rope is held across) by the local children and the couple have to pay them to let them pass. Conversely, in Cheshire and Shropshire, wedding parties would never pass through the lychgate, so as to avoid misfortune. 309:
In traditional usage, the gate was "the sheltered point at which the coffin was set down at a funeral to await the clergyman's arrival." An English commentator, writing in 1899, noted that the lych-gate, "or corpse-gate, with its pent-house roof, is specially provided for the shelter of a funeral
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Most were built from around the mid-15th century although some date from earlier, including the 13th-century lychgate of St George's churchyard in Beckenham, South London, claimed to be the oldest in England. After World War I a number of lychgates were built as war memorials, for example that of
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Lychgates followed a somewhat predictable pattern, though great variations in form could be seen. Typically, they were gable or hipped roofed, often with benches where mourners could sit, or with a lych-stone, coffin-stool or trestle, upon which a coffin could be
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while awaiting the priest, but it is only in a few cases that it is exclusively used for that purpose; it is frequently, perhaps, where it exists, commonly, the principal gateway of the churchyard." In some regions of Cornwall and Devon, such gates were called "
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or wooden or clay tiles. They can have decorative carvings and in later times were erected as memorials. They sometimes have recessed seats on either side of the gate itself, for the use of pall-bearers or vigil watchers.
512: 559: 167:, literally "step hatch". The explanation is that the gate was split horizontally so that you could step over the lower part without having to open it. Therefore, one can also guess another meaning of 437: 643: 658: 489: 298:, until the funeral service, which may have been a day or two later. The lychgate kept the rain off, and often had seats for the vigil watchers. Bodies at that time were buried in just 368: 631: 383: 199:, often built of wood. They usually consist of four or six upright wooden posts in a rectangular shape. On top of this are a number of beams to hold a pitched roof covered in 543: 535: 402: 453: 229:
and the South of the US, lychgates are simpler in construction, usually consisting of a steel or wooden span with a sign showing the name of the burial space.
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The most common form of lychgate is a simple shed composed of a roof with two gabled ends, covered with tiles or thatch. At
1266: 1234: 1228: 263: 218: 237: 259: 985: 356: 1271: 103:, the path along which a corpse was carried to burial (this in some districts was supposed to establish a 957: 772: 394: 306:. At the funeral, the priest conducted the first part of the service under the shelter of the lychgate. 147: 70: 375: 275: 134: 90: 51: 1207: 1180:"Considering the Authenticity of the Garden Soundscape: Preliminary Research Based on Interviews" 1136: 913: 858: 811: 255: 225:, there are three lychgates to one churchyard. Some elaborate gates have chambers over them. In 1154: 1199: 1128: 1059: 989: 936: 905: 866: 850: 801: 1191: 1005: 897: 476: 290:, before mortuaries, and at a time when most people died at home, the dead were placed on a 154: 693: 637:
The Anglican Church of St John the Evangelist & its Lych Gate, Camden, NSW 27 Feb 2017
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and Texas in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Norway, and Sweden.
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Lychgates serve to differentiate consecrated and unconsecrated space, and serve as a
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is a covered gateway found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style
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word for "corpse", mostly as an adjective in particular phrases or names, such as
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Early Indian Village Churches: Wooden Frontier Architecture in British Columbia
839:""The Roses so Red and the Lilies so Fair": Southern Folk Cemeteries in Texas" 815: 618: 271: 62: 35: 1203: 1132: 909: 854: 793: 270:, Yorkshire, are not listed. Several new examples were built to mark the new 480: 342: 870: 142: 112: 1140: 917: 862: 17: 1211: 1116: 885: 838: 586: 428: 267: 1179: 294:
and taken to the lychgate where they remained, often attended against
901: 794:"The Upland South Folk Cemetery Complex:: Some Suggestions of Origin" 303: 299: 200: 1195: 322:) to be ready for the officiating clergyman. In parts of Scotland, 713:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
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Jeane, D. Gregory; Deetz, James (1989), Meyer, Richard E. (ed.),
773:"More (yes more) on Newfoundland Lych Gates for #MortuaryMonday" 688: 291: 196: 341:
Traditionally in some parts of England, particularly parts of
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Gateway covered with a roof in an English-style churchyard
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The Scottish Antiquary, or, Northern Notes and Queries
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survived into modern English from the Old English or
800:, University Press of Colorado, pp. 107–136, 1086:. London: William Andrews & Co. p. 67. 536:St. Columba's Chapel (Middletown, Rhode Island) 183:"hatch, gap") from the Scandinavian languages. 1104:. London: A.D. Innes and Co. pp. 153–154. 115:, because its cry was a portent of death; and 8: 732:(11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 931:Curl, James Stevens; Wilson, Susan (2016). 1231:at Houghton-le-Spring's Hillside Cemetery 984:, compiled by John Ayto and Ian Crofton, 258:, Hertfordshire. Sandridge lychgate is a 977: 975: 935:. Oxford University Press. p. 454. 318:) was brought into the proper order (or 738: 352: 314:" – the spot where a funeral train (or 443:Lychgate of All Saints Parish Church, 97:, the hand-bell rung before a corpse; 1095: 1093: 1084:Lore and Legend of the English Church 1077: 1075: 1054:Veillette, John; White, Gary (1977). 843:The Southwestern Historical Quarterly 459:Lychgate at St.Mary's parish church, 129:It is cognate with the modern German 7: 1058:. Vancouver: U of BC P. p. 90. 832: 830: 1015:National Heritage List for England 427:Lychgate at St. Michael's church, 249:, said to be the oldest in England 65:. Examples also exist outside the 25: 1246:Illustrated article on lych gates 933:Oxford Dictionary of Architecture 1237:featuring a traditional lychgate 706: 666:St Swithun's Church, Bournemouth 657: 642: 630: 610: 594: 574: 558: 542: 527: 520:St Andrew's Church, West Tarring 511: 488: 468: 452: 436: 420: 401: 382: 367: 355: 567:St. Anne's Chapel (Fredericton) 518:Early 20th-century lychgate at 119:, a night watch over a corpse ( 1235:Horsham's Denne Road Lych Gate 650:St Baglan's Church, Llanfaglan 551:St Wulfran's Church, Ovingdean 362:A traditional English lychgate 191:Lychgates consist of a roofed 163:Lychgate in Swedish is called 1: 1100:Dyer, T.F. Thiselton (1892). 956:Jarvis, Dale Gilbert (2013). 747:"the definition of lich gate" 262:as is that of St Cuthbert's, 243:St George's church, Beckenham 1229:A restoration of a lych gate 982:Brewer's Britain and Ireland 501:St Michael's Church, Manafon 410:Church of St. James the Less 233:Dates of surviving lychgates 389:A rare Scottish example at 1288: 1082:Tyack, George S. (1899). 1010:"St Cuthbert's (1393517)" 986:Weidenfeld & Nicolson 962:The Newfoundland Ancestor 958:"Newfoundland Lych Gates" 884:Pritchett, R. T. (1878). 837:Jordan, Terry G. (1980). 42:, decorated for a wedding 260:Grade II listed building 160:, all meaning "corpse". 1262:Christianity in England 1248:in Newfoundland, Canada 798:Cemeteries Gravemarkers 729:Encyclopædia Britannica 374:Millennium lychgate at 195:-like structure over a 886:"Norway. Chapter XVII" 617:Combined lychgate and 250: 211: 43: 1178:Hedfors, Per (2004). 1115:Laing, Alex. (1891). 1102:Church Lore Gleanings 495:Lychgate designed by 395:Dumfries and Galloway 240: 206: 33: 1241:Otterbourne lychgate 1117:"Replies to Queries" 1041:War Memorials Online 376:Lenton, Lincolnshire 276:Lenton, Lincolnshire 1267:Church architecture 1159:collections.mun.ca 337:Wedding traditions 274:, such as that at 251: 69:in places such as 44: 942:978-0-19-967499-2 807:978-0-87421-160-3 59:resurrection gate 16:(Redirected from 1279: 1216: 1215: 1175: 1169: 1168: 1166: 1165: 1151: 1145: 1144: 1112: 1106: 1105: 1097: 1088: 1087: 1079: 1070: 1069: 1051: 1045: 1044: 1033: 1027: 1026: 1024: 1022: 1006:Historic England 1002: 996: 979: 970: 969: 953: 947: 946: 928: 922: 921: 902:10.2307/20569228 881: 875: 874: 834: 825: 824: 823: 822: 789: 783: 782: 780: 779: 768: 762: 761: 759: 757: 743: 733: 712: 710: 709: 664:Lychgate of the 661: 646: 634: 614: 598: 578: 562: 546: 531: 515: 492: 477:Kirkley Cemetery 472: 456: 447:, East Yorkshire 440: 424: 408:Lychgate at the 405: 386: 371: 359: 21: 1287: 1286: 1282: 1281: 1280: 1278: 1277: 1276: 1252: 1251: 1225: 1220: 1219: 1196:10.2307/4150388 1177: 1176: 1172: 1163: 1161: 1153: 1152: 1148: 1114: 1113: 1109: 1099: 1098: 1091: 1081: 1080: 1073: 1066: 1053: 1052: 1048: 1035: 1034: 1030: 1020: 1018: 1004: 1003: 999: 980: 973: 955: 954: 950: 943: 930: 929: 925: 890:The Art Journal 883: 882: 878: 836: 835: 828: 820: 818: 808: 791: 790: 786: 777: 775: 770: 769: 765: 755: 753: 745: 744: 740: 722:, ed. (1911). " 718: 707: 705: 702: 694:Lyke-Wake Dirge 675: 668: 662: 653: 647: 638: 635: 626: 615: 606: 599: 590: 579: 570: 569:, New Brunswick 563: 554: 547: 538: 532: 523: 516: 507: 493: 484: 473: 464: 457: 448: 441: 432: 425: 416: 406: 397: 387: 378: 372: 363: 360: 351: 339: 284: 235: 189: 123:Lyke-Wake Dirge 83: 34:A lych gate in 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1285: 1283: 1275: 1274: 1272:Types of gates 1269: 1264: 1254: 1253: 1250: 1249: 1243: 1238: 1232: 1224: 1223:External links 1221: 1218: 1217: 1190:(2): 281–284. 1184:Garden History 1170: 1146: 1107: 1089: 1071: 1064: 1046: 1028: 997: 971: 948: 941: 923: 876: 849:(3): 227–258. 826: 816:j.ctt46nqxw.11 806: 784: 771:Jarvis, Dale. 763: 751:Dictionary.com 737: 736: 735: 734: 720:Chisholm, Hugh 701: 698: 697: 696: 691: 686: 681: 674: 671: 670: 669: 663: 656: 654: 648: 641: 639: 636: 629: 627: 616: 609: 607: 600: 593: 591: 580: 573: 571: 564: 557: 555: 548: 541: 539: 533: 526: 524: 517: 510: 508: 494: 487: 485: 474: 467: 465: 458: 451: 449: 442: 435: 433: 426: 419: 417: 407: 400: 398: 388: 381: 379: 373: 366: 364: 361: 354: 350: 347: 338: 335: 283: 280: 234: 231: 188: 185: 82: 79: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1284: 1273: 1270: 1268: 1265: 1263: 1260: 1259: 1257: 1247: 1244: 1242: 1239: 1236: 1233: 1230: 1227: 1226: 1222: 1213: 1209: 1205: 1201: 1197: 1193: 1189: 1185: 1181: 1174: 1171: 1160: 1156: 1150: 1147: 1142: 1138: 1134: 1130: 1127:(21): 46–48. 1126: 1122: 1118: 1111: 1108: 1103: 1096: 1094: 1090: 1085: 1078: 1076: 1072: 1067: 1065:9780774800754 1061: 1057: 1050: 1047: 1042: 1038: 1032: 1029: 1017: 1016: 1011: 1007: 1001: 998: 995: 994:0-304-35385-X 991: 987: 983: 978: 976: 972: 967: 963: 959: 952: 949: 944: 938: 934: 927: 924: 919: 915: 911: 907: 903: 899: 895: 891: 887: 880: 877: 872: 868: 864: 860: 856: 852: 848: 844: 840: 833: 831: 827: 817: 813: 809: 803: 799: 795: 788: 785: 774: 767: 764: 752: 748: 742: 739: 731: 730: 725: 721: 716: 715:public domain 704: 703: 699: 695: 692: 690: 687: 685: 682: 680: 677: 676: 672: 667: 660: 655: 651: 645: 640: 633: 628: 624: 620: 613: 608: 604: 597: 592: 588: 584: 583:Alskog Church 577: 572: 568: 561: 556: 553:, East Sussex 552: 545: 540: 537: 530: 525: 522:, West Sussex 521: 514: 509: 506: 502: 498: 491: 486: 482: 478: 471: 466: 462: 455: 450: 446: 445:Shiptonthorpe 439: 434: 430: 423: 418: 415: 411: 404: 399: 396: 392: 385: 380: 377: 370: 365: 358: 353: 348: 346: 344: 336: 334: 332: 331:liminal space 327: 325: 321: 317: 313: 307: 305: 301: 297: 296:bodysnatchers 293: 289: 281: 279: 277: 273: 269: 265: 261: 257: 248: 244: 239: 232: 230: 228: 224: 220: 216: 210: 205: 202: 198: 194: 186: 184: 182: 178: 174: 170: 166: 161: 159: 156: 152: 149: 145: 144: 139: 136: 132: 127: 125: 124: 118: 114: 110: 106: 102: 101: 96: 92: 88: 80: 78: 76: 72: 68: 67:British Isles 64: 60: 57:, corpse) or 56: 53: 49: 41: 37: 32: 19: 1187: 1183: 1173: 1162:. Retrieved 1158: 1149: 1124: 1120: 1110: 1101: 1083: 1055: 1049: 1040: 1031: 1019:. Retrieved 1013: 1000: 981: 965: 961: 951: 932: 926: 893: 889: 879: 846: 842: 819:, retrieved 797: 787: 776:. Retrieved 766: 754:. Retrieved 750: 741: 727: 684:Church porch 603:Garde Church 601:Lychgate at 581:Lychgate at 565:Lychgate at 549:Lychgate at 534:Lychgate at 497:John Douglas 475:Lychgate at 461:Castle Eaton 414:Philadelphia 340: 328: 323: 319: 315: 311: 308: 302:rather than 285: 252: 247:South London 212: 207: 190: 180: 176: 172: 168: 164: 162: 157: 150: 148:West Frisian 141: 137: 130: 128: 120: 116: 108: 105:right-of-way 98: 94: 86: 84: 75:Upland South 71:Newfoundland 58: 54: 47: 45: 968:(2): 64–67. 896:: 168–171. 679:Corpse road 463:, Wiltshire 391:Cummertrees 324:Lykerstanes 288:Middle Ages 241:Lych gate, 223:Westmorland 215:Berrynarbor 187:Description 113:screech owl 52:Old English 1256:Categories 1164:2020-06-28 1021:15 October 821:2020-06-28 778:2020-06-28 700:References 619:bell tower 312:trim-trams 272:millennium 63:churchyard 36:Ceredigion 1204:0307-1243 1133:2042-0013 1037:"Felkirk" 910:2152-243X 855:0038-478X 724:Lich-Gate 623:Rö Church 605:, Gotland 483:, Suffolk 481:Lowestoft 431:, Norfolk 343:Yorkshire 264:Allendale 256:Sandridge 219:Troutbeck 165:stiglucka 117:lyke-wake 95:lych bell 85:The word 81:Etymology 1141:25516421 988:, 2005, 918:20569228 871:11633245 863:30241035 673:See also 625:, Sweden 589:(Sweden) 349:Examples 109:lych owl 100:lych way 48:lychgate 18:Lichgate 1212:4150388 756:6 April 717::  652:, Wales 587:Gotland 429:Aylsham 320:trimmed 304:coffins 300:shrouds 286:In the 268:Felkirk 209:rested. 155:Swedish 143:lichaam 1210:  1202:  1139:  1131:  1062:  992:  939:  916:  908:  869:  861:  853:  814:  804:  711:  201:thatch 131:Leiche 111:, the 73:, the 50:(from 1208:JSTOR 1137:JSTOR 914:JSTOR 859:JSTOR 812:JSTOR 505:Powys 227:Texas 193:porch 181:lucka 135:Dutch 91:Saxon 40:Wales 1200:ISSN 1129:ISSN 1060:ISBN 1023:2020 990:ISBN 937:ISBN 906:ISSN 867:PMID 851:ISSN 802:ISBN 758:2018 689:Lich 316:tram 292:bier 197:gate 177:luke 173:lyke 169:lych 153:and 140:and 138:lijk 121:see 87:lych 1192:doi 898:doi 726:". 621:at 499:at 282:Use 158:lik 151:lyk 126:). 107:); 55:līc 1258:: 1206:. 1198:. 1188:32 1186:. 1182:. 1157:. 1135:. 1123:. 1119:. 1092:^ 1074:^ 1039:. 1012:. 1008:. 974:^ 966:29 964:. 960:. 912:. 904:. 892:. 888:. 865:. 857:. 847:83 845:. 841:. 829:^ 810:, 796:, 749:. 585:, 503:, 479:, 412:, 393:, 278:. 245:, 221:, 179:, 175:, 146:, 133:, 46:A 38:, 1214:. 1194:: 1167:. 1143:. 1125:6 1068:. 1043:. 1025:. 945:. 920:. 900:: 894:4 873:. 781:. 760:. 171:( 20:)

Index

Lichgate

Ceredigion
Wales
Old English
churchyard
British Isles
Newfoundland
Upland South
Saxon
lych way
right-of-way
screech owl
Lyke-Wake Dirge
Dutch
lichaam
West Frisian
Swedish
porch
gate
thatch
Berrynarbor
Troutbeck
Westmorland
Texas

St George's church, Beckenham
South London
Sandridge
Grade II listed building

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