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Meridiela.

Chase Vault

A parish churchyard vault whose coffins were repeatedly found moved, then sealed empty.

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Typeburial vault
WhereChrist Church
Nearest cityBridgetown
Best seasonDecember to May
Time to allowAn hour
Getting thereIn Christ Church Parish Church graveyard near Oistins; road access
EntryFree

The Chase vault in the graveyard of Christ Church Parish Church is a stone burial chamber that between 1812 and 1820 was opened several times for burials and found each time with the lead coffins inside moved out of position, despite the entrance being sealed with cement and the governor's own seal. After the last opening the coffins were removed and buried elsewhere and the vault has stood empty since.

What you actually see

  • The empty vault - the chamber left open after the coffins were removed.
  • The parish church - the building the graveyard belongs to.
  • The recorded openings - the sequence of documented inspections between 1812 and 1820.
  • The graveyard - the burials around the vault on the ridge above Oistins.

When to go

December to May is the dry season. The graveyard is open daylight hours. Services take priority at the church.

Honest expectations

There is nothing to see but an empty stone chamber; the interest is entirely the story. Accounts of the events vary considerably between sources. It is an active churchyard and behaviour matters.

Nearby

Oistins is south, and South Point is southeast.

What to pack for Chase Vault

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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