AT NOON on Saturday, the mayor of Basingstoke, Cllr Rita Burgess, will unveil an information panel at South View Cemetery, off Chapel Hill.

Designed by the sculptor Stephen Towns, it describes the history of the Holy Ghost and Holy Trinity chapels which are close by.

The event has been arranged by the Basingstoke Heritage Society, with the help of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

The history of the Holy Ghost Chapel, now in ruins, is shrouded in mystery to a certain extent, for little is known of its early life.

What has been revealed is that the land was used as a burial ground during the Interdict of 1208 to 1214 – a period when churches and churchyards were closed in the reign of King John to enforce the acceptance of Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury.

People who died during that period had to be buried in unconsecrated ground. The hill to the north of Basingstoke was consequently used for this purpose, then, when the Interdict ended, the land was consecrated and a chapel was built on the land.

This was confirmed in a deed dated 1250 when a chaplain of the chapel of the Holy Ghost was mentioned; and later on, a Guild of Brethren and Sisters became attached to the chapel.

In the early 16th century, Lord Sandys added a smaller chantry chapel as a burial place for his family, and King Henry VIII granted a charter in 1525 for the maintenance of a Guild or Fraternity at the chapel in honour of the Holy Ghost.

This chapel was evidently a gem of architecture, both inside and out, for even now, the carved niches in the structure remain as a memorial to the builders.

In descriptions of the building there are details of the paintings, which represent the prophets, apostles and disciples of Christ, while the windows contained some of the richest painted glass then existing in the country.

In the 16th century, a school was provided for the local youngsters, and it was several of these pupils in 1674 who heard the woeful cries of Mrs Blunden who was buried alive in the nearby burial ground.

She had drunk poppy water instead of wine and had gone into a coma. The local doctor decided to have her buried straightaway due to the heat of that summer’s day.

The exertions of trying to get out of the coffin finally killed her, even though workmen helped to get her out.

Over the following years, dilapidation of the chapel resulted in sections collapsing, and the removal of the lead tiles during the English Civil War didn’t help.

Even Gilbert White, the naturalist, admitted to undermining parts of the building and wrecking it.

The school continued until 1855, when it was transferred to new premises in Worting Road.

In 1967, many of the gravestones were removed and used as a footpath across the cemetery, a move which caused a great deal of controversy.

In more recent years, the cemetery and its ruins have been declared a park for the public to enjoy its peaceful atmosphere.