NEW revelations about Skipton's past are emerging from the ground at what has been described as a time capsule to the town's history.

Latest to be unearthed by the Friends of Raikes Road Burial Ground is evidence of a long forgotten - and hidden - mortuary, defunct for 140 years.

There were signs of its existence but only if people walking up or down Raikes Road into town or even driving out of Castle View Terrace opposite the grave yard, were observant enough.

Look closely as Jean Robinson, chairman of the Friends, advised me, and you can make out the old entrance to the building indicated by the different texture of stonework within the high cemetery retaining wall.

Friends have been focusing on this site for some time after discerning the possibility of a building beneath a mound of earth.

A map dated 1891, drawn after the ground was closed in 1878, showed the mortuary abutting Raikes Road and a Church of England chapel obliquely opposite and near to the entrance pathway.

Now more concrete evidence has emerged following archaeological work by the Friends, funded by a lottery grant and led by Janis Heward, an archaeologist and director of the Bordley Township Project.

It came to light when the team opened the northern end of the mound, took away stones and discovered a hole which became much deeper as more were removed.

Jean said: "It turned out to be a brick-lined rectangular flue which was at least two metres deep. Its use was probably for ridding the mortuary of smells, especially if it was used for post-mortems.

"It certainly wasn't used for fire as apart from the lining being unburnt, it's unlikely that a body was kept anything other than cold, hence the possibility why it was built underground."

Other excavation revealed two rows of stones on top of the mound suggesting the west and east elevations of the structure and it became clear that the the roof of the mortuary was no longer there. "It also appeared that the rest of the building had been rubble infilled," she said.

The work also hoped to reveal evidence of an archway from the mortuary into the burial ground.

"We wanted to discover if the bodies had been taken through a door at the end of the building to access the chapel or whether they had come out of the mortuary and down Raikes Road and back through the entrance to the ground.

"We opened a trench hoping to reveal the archway but it showed nothing. Small pieces of decorated glass were discovered but whether these are indicative of a roof light is as yet unknown.

"There are many more questions about this site than answers. We hope to raise further funds to make further discoveries. The chapel has yet to be excavated and somewhere - who knows - the elusive archway may appear," said Jean.

Raikes Road burial ground was opened in 1846 as an overspill from Skipton Parish Church and closed 30 years later, falling into neglect.

Long term, it is hoped to reopen the one acre site to the public after work has been completed to make it safe and more research completed to fill in the gaps in its history.

It already has close connections with one of Britain's greatest poets. Buried at the far side of the cemetery are the grandfather and grandmother of author and poet Rudyard Kipling.

The Rev Joseph Kipling and his wife, Frances, were regularly visited by their grandson on his schoolboy holidays to the town.

The burial ground also contains the box tomb of John Tasker, the founder of the Craven Herald, and the gravestone of a hero of the Napoleonic wars who was buried with full military honours, aged 93.

Ironically, because of the neglect, the site is something of a wildlife haven and surveys are under way. A recent identification by the Mammal Society of water shrews was unexpected as they are uncommon in northern England.

In May, the Friends undertook a full survey of the gravestones, overseen by Dr Paul Norman, of Skipton. The aim of this work is to plot each gravestone and to draw up a plan which will be very useful for visitors and Friends alike.

The path has finally been installed with the help of the Community Payback Team. This was undertaken on a number of weekends. The team used the original route as closely as possible, bearing in mind that a maturing tree was on the route.

Anyone interested in the work of the Friends, or who can help Mrs Robinson, should email les@ skiptontowncouncil. gov. uk.