Discovering Oystermouth Cemetery Guide Book

Aim

To research, write, publish and distribute a book on the historic Oystermouth Cemetery in the Mumbles, Swansea.

The beautiful Oystermouth Cemetery in The Mumbles is a place of reflectiveness, natural beauty and tranquility. It is a perfect place to discover nature, engage with 120 years of social history, and see some amazing memorial memorial artwork. Every gravestone tells a story, including much of the lower part of the site which is filled with Gothic grandeur and insightful inscriptions.

The Cemetery is steeped in history.  Graves of three lifeboat disasters are there and the resting place of a tragically young and world famous opera singer. Other graves include the  writer of  ‘Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye’ , a huge tomb where a white stallion which walked to its master’s grave every day , the recipient of the first Welsh VC, the tragic death of a famous motorbike champion who died on Halloween, and the story of a young woman found on the common, whose presiding vicar became so upset about the sorry state of her burial that he wrote to the paper to share his dismay and sorrow. These are only a few of the amazing stories that can be found at Oystermouth Cemetery. Far from being considered a morbid space, the cemetery is both a sacred space, a place of some amazing nature and a heritage space. It is also a wonderful place to walk. 

The book will explore the nature of the site, share with the reader its wonderful history and tell some of the fascinating stories surrounding some of those who are interred there. It will also uncover some of the fascinating old folklore surrounding death and burial in Wales, along with learning about some of the more modern customs which have evolved. It will be authored by myself - a historian, folklorist & researcher who specialises in the customs, superstitions & traditions of death and burial. I also undertake private tours of Oystermouth Cemetery & for the Gower Walking Festival.

£3500 will allow me to fully research the cemetery's history, get the book written, pay for it to be edited, pay for any image costs, pay for it to published and then distributed. The funds will also allow me to commission a site specific map pinpointing the graves mentioned in the book so that the reader can take their own tour around the cemetery and enjoy the stories which are held there.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 2nd December 2022