York Cemetery, York

Last updated

York Cemetery
York Cemetery - geograph.org.uk - 80061.jpg
York Cemetery, York
Details
Established1837
Location
CountryEngland
Coordinates 53°57′N1°04′W / 53.950°N 1.067°W / 53.950; -1.067
TypePublic
Owned byThe York Cemetery Trust
Size24 acres (97,000 m2)
No. of graves28,000+
Find a Grave York Cemetery

York Cemetery is a cemetery located in the city of York, England. Founded in 1837, it now encompasses 24 acres (97,000 m2) and is owned and administered by The York Cemetery Trust with support of the Friends of York Cemetery. It is situated on Cemetery Road in the Fishergate area of York. It has approximately 28,000 graves and over 17,000 monuments, six of which are Grade II-listed. The chapel is a Grade II* listed building, [1] while the gatehouse, gate and railings are Grade II. [2] The cemetery as a whole is a Grade II* listed park and garden. [3] The architect of the buildings and designer of the grounds was James Pigott Pritchett.

Contents

History

The cemetery chapel Fulford Chapel.jpg
The cemetery chapel

The York Public Cemetery Company was formed in 1837 to provide better burial facilities for the citizens of York – whatever their station in life – than those offered by the overcrowded parish and non-conformist graveyards in the city. Initially, it had to compete with the existing graveyards, but, because of their unsatisfactory condition, these were all closed by an Order in Council in December 1854. From 1855 to the 1940s, the cemetery expanded to its present size of 24 acres (97,000 m2) by buying all the adjacent land that was available. It prospered, and paid good dividends to its shareholders.

By the 1960s, with the cemetery nearly full, it became increasingly clear that it was no longer financially viable. The company went into voluntary liquidation in June 1966. The process was completed in 1979, by which date there was nothing of commercial value left, other than the land containing over 28,000 graves, 17,000 monuments and two listed buildings in an advanced state of disrepair. The abandoned site devolved to the Crown, and became an overgrown and derelict wilderness.

In June 1984, the roof of the chapel collapsed, bringing down part of the rear wall with it. This stimulated a group of local people to take action, which led to the formation of York Cemetery Trust, a registered charity. In February 1987, the Crown Commissioners sold the freehold of the cemetery to the Trust for a nominal sum, giving the Trust responsibility for continuing the burial business, using the site for educational purposes, and restoring the chapel and gatehouse.

A small staff of permanent employees, assisted by volunteers, now help maintain and develop the site as a heritage and environmental asset, while also allowing it to continue its original purpose as a burial place.

Notable interments

The cemetery contains the graves of 236 Commonwealth service personnel from both world wars. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anfield Cemetery</span> Cemetery in Liverpool, Merseyside, England

Anfield Cemetery, or the City of Liverpool Cemetery, is located in Anfield, a district of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It lies to the northeast of Stanley Park, and is bounded by Walton Lane to the west, Priory Road to the south, a railway line to the north, and the gardens of houses on Ince Avenue to the east. The cemetery grounds are included in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens at Grade II*.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheffield General Cemetery</span> Cemetery in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England

The General Cemetery in the City of Sheffield, England opened in 1836 and closed for burial in 1978. It was the principal cemetery in Victorian Sheffield with over 87,000 burials. Today it is a listed Landscape on the English Heritage National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. It is also a Local Nature Reserve. It is owned by the City of Sheffield and managed on behalf of the city by a local community group, the Sheffield General Cemetery Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everton Cemetery</span> Cemetery in Liverpool, England

Everton Cemetery, is in Long Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool which opened in July 1880.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toxteth Park Cemetery</span> Graveyard in England

Toxteth Park Cemetery is a graveyard on Smithdown Road, Liverpool, United Kingdom. It was opened on Monday 9 June 1856. It was the responsibility of the Toxteth Park Burial Board, which had been established by at least 1855.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City Road Cemetery</span> Cemetery in Sheffield, England

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tinsley Park Cemetery</span> Cemetery in Sheffield, England

Tinsley Park Cemetery is one of the city of Sheffield's many cemeteries. It was opened in 1882, and covers 19 acres (77,000 m2). The cemetery is still open to burials, and since the first burial on 2 June 1882 over 59,000 burials have taken place. There are buried in the cemetery 42 Commonwealth service personnel from World War I and 32 from World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lye and Wollescote Cemetery</span>

The Lye and Wollescote Cemetery is an active 9.45 acres (3.82 ha) cemetery in Lye, West Midlands, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brandwood End Cemetery</span>

Brandwood End Cemetery is a cemetery located in the Brandwood ward of Birmingham, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todmorden Unitarian Church</span> Church in West Yorkshire, England

Todmorden Unitarian Church is a Unitarian church located in Honey Hole Road, Todmorden, West Yorkshire, England. Built in honour of John Fielden, a local mill owner and a social reformer, the church was completed in 1869. It was declared redundant in 1987 and came under the care of the Historic Chapels Trust. Since 2008, regular services have been held in the building, but it remains in the care of the Trust. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building,

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cemeteries and crematoria in Brighton and Hove</span> Review of the topic

The English coastal city of Brighton and Hove, made up of the formerly separate Boroughs of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, has a wide range of cemeteries throughout its urban area. Many were established in the mid-19th century, a time in which the Victorian "cult of death" encouraged extravagant, expensive memorials set in carefully cultivated landscapes which were even recommended as tourist attractions. Some of the largest, such as the Extra Mural Cemetery and the Brighton and Preston Cemetery, were set in particularly impressive natural landscapes. Brighton and Hove City Council, the local authority responsible for public services in the city, manages seven cemeteries, one of which also has the city's main crematorium. An eighth cemetery and a second crematorium are owned by a private company. Many cemeteries are full and no longer accept new burials. The council maintains administrative offices and a mortuary at the Woodvale Cemetery, and employs a coroner and support staff.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smallcombe Cemetery</span> Cemetery in Bath, Somerset, United Kingdom

Smallcombe Cemetery is on the edge of Bath, Somerset, England, in a valley between Widcombe Hill and Bathwick Hill. It has two distinct parts, the Anglican section known as St Mary's Churchyard and the nonconformist section known as Smallcombe Vale cemetery; they are sometimes known together as Smallcombe Garden cemetery. The two cemeteries have been closed to new burials since 1988 and are maintained by Bath and North East Somerset Council. The Bath Corporation had assumed responsibility for both cemeteries in 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thorncliffe Cemetery and Crematorium</span> Cemetery in Cumbria, England

Thorncliffe Cemetery and Crematorium is a 66-acre graveyard located on Devonshire Road in the Ormsgill ward of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Cemetery</span> Cemetery in Lincolnshire, England

Boston Cemetery is a cemetery located in Boston, Lincolnshire in England. The cemetery dates back to 1855 and was laid out by Darlington architect James Pigott Pritchett junior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tottenham Cemetery</span> Burial ground in North London

Tottenham Cemetery is a large burial ground in Tottenham in the London Borough of Haringey, in north London, England. It was opened in 1858 by the Tottenham Burial Board to replace the churchyard of All Hallows' Church, Tottenham which had closed the previous year. The original five-acre site was not entirely consecrated, with two acres designated for non-Church of England burials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Medland</span>

James Medland was county surveyor for Gloucestershire from 1857–89 in which capacity he designed many of Gloucester's public buildings such as the grade II listed Tredworth Road Cemetery chapel (1857).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Street Cemetery</span> Cemetery in Farnham in Surrey

West Street Cemetery on West Street in Farnham in Surrey is one of four cemeteries in the Farnham area owned and maintained by Farnham Town Council. The two Cemetery chapels have been Grade II listed buildings on the Historic England Register since 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nottingham General Cemetery</span>

Nottingham General Cemetery is a place of burial in Nottingham, England which is Grade II listed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Pigott Pritchett Jr</span>

James Pigott Pritchett, known as J P Pritchett junior or J P Pritchett of Darlington, was a British architect.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Hewley's Almshouses</span>

Lady Hewley's Almshouses are a historic building in the city centre of York, in England.

References

  1. Historic England. "York Cemetery Chapel (Grade II*) (1259304)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  2. Historic England. "York Cemetery Lodge (Grade II) (1259303)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  3. Historic England. "York Cemetery (Grade II*) (1001596)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  4. "Cemetery Report, York Cemetery, Yorkshire". CWGC. Retrieved 23 August 2012.