Industrial archaeology of the burial landscape

The study of churchyards and cemeteries can benefit from the application of core questions and methods of industrial archaeology, which encourages more detailed interrogation of fundamentals including the evolution of burial space over time in a particular location, and a higher level of attention to definition, ownership and purpose of the different types of spaces used for interment. Industrial archaeological approaches also invite exploration of the infrastructure of burial spaces; the scientific principles guiding the task of cemetery management; and the ‘working knowledge’ of gravediggers whose practices might follow more pragmatic imperatives. The framework of industrial archaeology carries the potential to consider new priorities for conservation, at the same time as highlighting tensions around the audiences and purpose of industrial heritage and interpretation.