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Rectory Road, REDDITCH, B97 4LQ

The ground was associated with the former St Luke's Church in Evesham Road to the west Image The land was given by Baroness Windsor. The earliest 1:2500 OS map on which it is shown as a burial ground is that of 1904. The map of 1968-73 is the first to show it as Public Garden. A number of memorials have been retained around the perimeter, together with the one in the central feature Image

It emerges from dense shrubs, planted perhaps to deter vandalism. The inscription is difficult to decipher; it could start "In Eternal Remembrance / of / Thomas Best and Anne…" Deserves another visit.

A number of memorials have been retained around the perimeter of the public garden, together with the one in the central feature Image

The retained memorial seen in Image is seen here sideways on. The gates perhaps date from the creation of the public garden in the 1960s, to supplement the lych gate Image

This pleasant street once ran through to the Evesham Road from the Birchfield Road. It was severed by the A448 Bromsgrove Highway in the days of the New Town.

The ground was associated with the former St Luke's Church in Evesham Road to the west Image The land was given by Baroness Windsor. The earliest 1:2500 OS map on which it is shown as a burial ground is that of 1904. The map of 1968-73 is the first to show it as Public Garden.

A little plaque on the front reads: "1861 / Lych-Gate / Built by subscription for the / burial ground donated by / Baroness Windsor". It was consecrated in the same year (this information came from 'Jack', who found it in the 1900 Kelly's Directory of Worcestershire). The plaque itself is of an engraved material with the text in a Gill Sans typeface, introduced in 1930: perhaps it is a replacement for the original. http://forebears.co.uk/england/worcestershire/headless-cross

A distinctive blue building at the junction of Rectory Road and Plymouth Close.

Plymouth Close was originally the southern end of Plymouth Road, which first appears on the OS 1:2500 map of 1927 partly developed for houses. It was a direct route into the town centre from the Birchfield Road in Headless Cross. Plymouth Road was severed by the A448 Bromsgrove Highway through the New Town and diverted to join the Evesham Road. Plymouth Close now leads to more recent housing developments sandwiched between the Birchfield Road and the A448. A pedestrian subway connects to Plymouth Road, the rail station and the town centre.

It leads to Plymouth Road which, before it was severed by the A448 through the New Town, was a handy direct route to and from the original town centre – still possible on foot or bike, of course. Plymouth Road first appears on OS 1:2500 maps in 1927, already partly ribbon-developed with detached and semi-detached houses.