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Cake day: August 25th, 2025

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  • A lychgate (from Old English līc, corpse) or resurrection gate[1] is a covered gateway found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard.

    In the Middle Ages, before mortuaries, and at a time when most people died at home, the dead were placed on a bier and taken to the lychgate where they remained, often attended against bodysnatchers, until the funeral service, which may have been a day or two later. The lychgate kept the rain off, and often had seats for the vigil watchers. Bodies at that time were buried in just shrouds rather than coffins. At the funeral, the priest conducted the first part of the service under the shelter of the lychgate.

    TIL…

    Taken from Wikipedia