| HCC Site ID. | 1841 | Parish: | Havant | |
| Designations: | – | Area: | 1.44 ha | |
| Access: | Public Access | Ownership: | Havant Borough Council |
Location and Site
Eastern Road & New Lane Cemetery lies just north of the railway line near the centre of Havant. It is bounded by Eastern Road to the south and by New Lane to the west. A branch of the railway line borders the east and to the north are light industrial premises. It is a flat site, no longer used for new burials, but maintained with a view to creating a natural habitat for wildlife.
Main entrance from Eastern Road
Historic Development
In 1850 when the graveyard beside St Faith’s Church became full, land was donated by Sir George Staunton to build a new cemetery: one acre for Church of England use and a quarter of an acre for the Dissenters who later became the Congregationalists. Although still the responsibility of St Faiths, it was maintained by the local authority. The Mortuary Chapel, which no longer exists, and the walls and gates were erected by subscription and the first burial took place in August 1851. By 1895 this cemetery was full and the adjacent land which was donated to the poor for allotments by William Stone, Sir George Staunton’s successor at Leigh Park, was taken in return for a similar sized plot of land further north. In 2007 a Holocaust Memorial was built by Havant Borough Council out of a block of Welsh Slate which stands in the centre of the cemetery. An annual service is held here on 27 January.
View North on main path
Current Description
The main gates from Eastern Road lead into the oldest and most formal part of the cemetery where the grass is cut, though most of the graves are unmaintained. It is full of mature trees, yews, sycamores, thuja and bound by a knapped flint wall. To the west is the Dissenters quarter acre as well as the newer part of the cemetery; both of these areas have been deliberately kept uncultivated to attract wildlife. The grass is cut just once a year and raked away so as not to hamper the growth of wild flowers. At the time of viewing the area was overgrown with brambles and nettles. A board in the cemetery details all the wild life it attracts, with over 60 species of birds as well as rare butterflies and moths.
Summary and significance
No longer in use for new burials, it is a peaceful haven for remembrance and a habitat for wildlife.
HGT Research: August 2017
References
Friends of Havant Cemeteries www.friendsofhavantcemeteries.org.uk
St Faiths Church www.stfaiths.com
Notice Boards displayed within the cemetery
click here for a link to the Friends of New Lane Cemetery website.