Visiting historical places is more exciting that reading from the history books in the classrooms. This was the observation of over 100 students of Golden Gates Higher Secondary School who undertook a heritage walk to the 225-year-old Salem Old Anglican Cemetery and 142-year-old C.S.I Christ Church, both located near the collectorate here recently.
The walk, organised by the Salem Historical Society, saw students eagerly learning the history of the church that was built on Indo-Saracenic style architecture at a cost of Rs. 15,000 and consecrated on October 26, 1875. Robert Fellowes Chisholm, a British architect, who designed the Presidency College and the Senate buildings of the University of Madras was the man behind the architecture. The British government gave a bell to the church, which is 155-year-old, and was mounted in the bell tower. The history of the church was given in the book, ‘The Church in Madras, The History of the Ecclesiastical and Missionary Action of the East India Company in the Presidency of Madras from 1835 to 1861’, written by LL.M Rev. Frank Penny in 1922.
Later, students visited the cemetery that has a total of 131 identified graves that was demarcated for burial in 1791 and closed in 1883. Graves of six collectors, British rulers, judges, Christian missionaries, Army officers and their family members with the earliest tomb dating back to 1797 could be seen in the cemetery. The cemetery is also called as “Epitome of Salem History”.
General Secretary of the society J. Barnabas explained the students on the need for preserving the graves that has historical significance and wanted them to be part of the campaign in protecting monuments in the district.
