the greater the likelihood that the opinions of the majority of local

residents who oppose this unfortunate plan will still ultimately

prevail.

All best wishes,

Keith Wilson

_________________________________

Keith Wilson

Department of English

University of Ottawa

70 Laurier Avenue East (Room 313)

Ottawa, Ontario

CANADA K1N 6N5

Tel: (613) 562-5800, Ext. 1160

Fax: (613) 562-5990

I was anticipating that permission would be granted for the erection of a

MacDonalds on the church grounds powered by three large wind mills (to

conserve our ever-dwindling supply of oil). I can't help but feel that

munching on a Big Mac while contemplating the gargoyles (especially the

altered one over "Fanny Robin's" grave) might encourage more people to study

Hardy and realize that he really is not a depressing author and that no

matter how you spell Eustacia, poor thing, she still drowned.

Stephen Pastore

Hey Steve-- you left out slot machines in the nave E-Zee Passes for

churchayrd parking.

Best

R

Just to let you know, folks, that writing to the Diocese of Salisbury does

reach a listener. I wrote and this is the reply I had this morning (so

please be encouraged) thanks, RM:

Dear Professor Morgan,

Thank you for your e-mail message. Your correspondence will be sent to the

Chancellor, who is the judge of the Consistory Court of the Diocese of

Salisbury. The Chancellor will take your comments into account when

reaching his decision.

Sarah Hart

Registry Clerk

on behalf of Mr Andrew Johnson, Registrar

Dear Friends,

Surprise! A humble Yank voice was registered! Please let this be an encouragement to make your views available.

Thanks,

Julian

--

Julian W. Whipple

145 Raleigh Way

Portsmouth, NH 03801

603 431-5680

From the Western Morning news...

Controversial plans to build a toilet over graves where members of Wessex author Thomas Hardy's family are buried have been approved on appeal - prompting fury in a Dorset village.

Opponents in Puddletown thought they had won the battle to preserve St Mary's Church, where Hardy himself played the fiddle in the gallery. But a government inspector has overturned the district council's decision to refuse permission for building work.

In his first novel, Far From the Madding Crowd, the author used the 15th century church in the book, renaming Puddletown as Weatherby.

The £100,000 development, to include a hall and toilet block, will be put up on top of the graves of Hardy's aunt and uncle, Maria and James Sparks, as well as other Victorian graves.

Hardy borrowed freely from family stories about his colourful relatives from Puddletown, the Sparks and Antells, known for their "merry, wicked" ways.

But after Far From the Madding Crowd was published in 1874 it became clear where much of the material had come from. This angered the family and Hardy swore never again to use identifiable people as inspiration in his novels.

The cemetery also provided the backdrop for scenes in the 1967 film adaptation of Hardy's book, starring Julie Christie and Terence Stamp.

One opponent is John Antell - a cousin of Thomas Hardy - who is furious that the 135-year-old graves of the author's aunt and uncle will be buried under the new hall and toilets.

Mr Antell, 73, a former mayor of nearby Dorchester - a genuine Mayor of Casterbridge - said: "They have chosen to build on an area where there are lots of Victorian graves, including those of my relatives, the Sparks.

"In view of the upset it has caused I thought they could at least have compromised. But they have forced the decision down the necks of the villagers."

The proposal by the Parochial Church Council (PCC) and Diocesan Advisory Committee was originally refused planning permission because West Dorset District Council considered the hall would look unsightly next to the historic church.

But government inspector Chris Ball ruled that the proposed "modest and unassuming" building would have little impact on the churchyard and conservation area, and that the area's association with Hardy was not a good enough reason to veto the plans.

The PCC must now obtain a faculty from the Chancellor of Salisbury Diocese to carry out the work. Diocese spokeswoman Kate Pardy said: "There may have to be a consistory court hearing if there is strong enough objection."

Michael Stoddard

Friends! This is precisely why you should write --as Keith suggested -- to the

the Diocese of Salisbury (see earlier postings):

I repeat the data below:

Write now!

Best,

RM

____________here: At 03:23 PM 1/21/2004 -0500, you wrote:

Diocese to

For those concerned about the recent granting of permission -- after two

lower-level refusals -- for the building of a kitchen/lavatory block

within the precincts of St. Mary's churchyard, Puddletown (an act that

in addition to its heritage/environmental/architectural implications

involves the moving of gravestones, including that of Hardy's aunt, and

destruction of yews), there is some moderately cheering information. An

appeal is being made to the Chancellor of the Diocese of Salisbury,

under whose jurisdiction Puddletown comes. The Chancellor has the power

to refuse to grant a faculty for the building in the churchyard. Should

he do this, the building cannot go ahead.

Those concerned about this projected defacement/desecration should

write as soon as possible to Andrew Johnson, The Registrar, Diocese of

Salisbury. E-mail is fine, and the address is

The greater the number of objections,

the greater the likelihood that the opinions of the majority of local

residents who oppose this unfortunate plan will still ultimately

prevail.

All best wishes,

Keith Wilson

to carry out the work. Diocese spokeswoman Kate Pardy said: "There may have

to be a consistory court hearing if there is strong enough objection."<

Anyone interested in discovering exactly what what 'obtaining a faculty' and

a "consistory court" entails should go to

html alternative if you do not have Adobe Reader for pdf).

This is a Guide to Faculty Procedures written by His Honour Judge Samuel

Wiggs, Chancellor of the Diocese of Salisbury. His Honour's splendidly apt

name, and the procedures described in the guide, remind one irresistibly of

the world of another Great Victorian - Barsetshire. Although the guide is

written for those seeking faculties, rather than for those objecting to

them, it is not without interest. And it makes clear that consistory court

hearings are "very rare indeed" - the parties involved can agree to

"alternative and far cheaper" procedures. There is a paragraph on what the

chancellor must do if he considers that there are "historic, architectural,

archaeological or artistic interests" affected.

It is also clear, however, that in its initial stages the procedure for

granting a faculty can be rapid. Those wishing to object to (or support)

the granting should therefore get down to it without delay!

Cheers.

K Eldron

If any yews are sacrificed to the new  parish room at Puddletown, it will at least happen only after the all the legal processes have been followed and the Parochial Church Council has obtained the necessary permission.

Not so Its equivalent in the Hampshire parish of Fair Oak.   Without consulting either the locals or their own diocesan superiors, the PCC has had a 140 year old yew chopped down because

children might climb it and hurt themselves falling out of it,

children might eat the poisonous berries,

elderly worshippers might trip over the roots, and

paedophiles could hide behind it.

At least two of these reasons could be applied to virtually every tree, hedge and bush in the United Kingdom....

K Eldron

So, give or take a few years:

"...two hundred years' steady growth has been ended in less than two hours."

TH, "Throwing

a Tree." (CP, 857)

RM

__________________

At 11:14 AM 1/29/2004 +0000, you wrote:

K Eldron

==================================================================