Rector dismisses "rumours" after grave accusations against loo project

Thursday 29 March 2018

Allegations that nearly 30 graves have been disturbed to make way for a new church toilet have been dimissed as “rumours” by “people trying to stir trouble” by the Rector at the heart of the project.

The comments came from St. Lawrence Rector Reverend Phil Warren, who last month secured support for the extension to his parish’s 800-year-old church following one of the most hotly contested local battles in living memory.

The toilet, which was intended to make the 12^th century building more disability-friendly, bitterly divided the island community, with campaigners claiming that it would irreparably damage “one of the island’s finest medieval buildings.” 

However, they were outvoted in a strongly-attended parish meeting on 27 February, and construction is now due to commence within the fortnight.

But before that can happen, the Société Jersiaise are undertaking an archaeological dig of the area, leading to fresh claims from the anti-toilet lobby that the construction should be halted.

Pictured: Parishioners queue to cast their vote in the loo dispute.

It has been alleged that the dig has dredged up several precious artefacts, and even involved removing the skeletons of up to 29 pre-Reformation era parishioners from their final place of rest. 

“Absolute sacrilege, desecration and destruction of a sacred burial site and an invaluable part of our Jersey heritage. Maybe it will make people realise how important it is to look after our beautiful churches and maybe even stand against the same happening to their parish church,” one campaigner commented in a St. Lawrence Church conservation social media group. 

Excavators and the Rector declined to confirm their findings so far when questioned by Express, stating that they will not offer any information until the dig has concluded.

“I think this parish has had enough of people stirring and spreading rumours, and the best thing is when we know the facts and the truth, we will share it,” Reverend Warren told Express.

Pictured: St. Lawrence Church as seen from the road. (Google Maps)

While he said that he hoped the vote would be the conclusion to what has been a long-running and, at times, hostile debate, he added that he was dismayed to see rumours still being circulated by those unhappy with the result.

“Someone said that we’d found treasure, but that’s certainly not what I know or understand. There are lots of rumours and things being said, and actually there are a few people still trying to stir trouble, and I think it’s a shame after all the parish has been through.”

The Société are due to complete their excavations after Easter, and will then prepare a report on their discoveries, which the Reverend said he looked forward to sharing. 

“With any kind of work that relates to such history, tradition, the life of the parish is a really good thing. I’m a historian by background so I really value these things. I just want to make sure that when the work is complete, we can talk about it in an informative way.”

Pictured: The Société Jersiaise excavations underway.

It is known that the northwest side of the church was an area once reserved for the burial of paupers. A dig in the pathway undertaken by the Société back in 1890 once revealed a long ‘cist grave’ – a rectangular chest built of stones – containing the skeleton of a woman thought to be in her 50s.