The Nelson family and the English graveyard

Over the years all the land which had been given to Nelson and subsequently inherited by his family had been sold back, little by little, to the town of Bronte. However I was told that when the final piece of land was handed over to the locals, the Nelson family chose to keep one small piece of Sicily forever English. This was the English graveyard that had been used by the family to bury their dead over the 200 years of their residence. I determined to find it and to investigate.
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I was particularly interested because, as an expat myself, it has always struck me as an issue. Where do you bury your dead in a foreign land, with its different religion and burial customs? Perhaps I could take inspiration from this particular exit family.
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I had been told that the graveyard was across the river from the Castello, next door to a local church. I found it without much trouble but was disappointed to find to was surrounded by a high wall and had a large pair of locked gates. Not to be deterred I scaled the wall and looked around. And there indeed were the graves of most of the Dukes and many of their faithful retainers going back to the 1830’s. I was able to find just one pet but alas, no wives. I guess there were about 20 graves in all. I was very moved by the whole experience. Something about the Englishness of the graveyard in this corner of a foreign field touched me. It hadn’t been easy for the family and I have the impression that they never settled or integrated. A sad piece of history encapsulated in this sad graveyard.
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I was however inspired to think that I might replicate the graveyard on the hill behind our house in France. I have since bought a piece of land which could well become the Norris family version of an English graveyard....