| HCC Site ID: | 1689 | Parish: | Shirley Ward, Southampton |
| Designations: | HE II* | Area: | 14 ha (34.6 acres) |
| Access: | Public Access. See opening times | Ownership: | Southampton City Council |
Southampton Old Cemetery
Southampton’s Old Cemetery was opened on 7th May 1846 when the Bishop of Winchester consecrated part of the grounds.
A section was left unconsecrated for the Dissenters (Non-Conformists) while another part was provided for the Hebrew community. In 1856 the Roman Catholics were given ground within the cemetery for their use. The Old Cemetery’s three original chapels and the Superintendents Lodge were designed to represent different architectural styles. Fortunately they are all still intact and in good condition.
Burials since 1846 number about 116,000 and particularly for the 19th Century, when the cemetery was the main burial place for Southampton, the burials and monuments reflect the social and political history of the town in the time of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). There are also reminders of people involved with national events both in Britain and abroad. Buried in the cemetery is Lt. Col. Hewett, the last of the British officers from the Battle of Waterloo (1815) while the memorial cross marking the original burial place of Gen. Juan de Rosas, a Dictator of Argentina, stands in pristine condition. Many memorials recall Southampton’s long maritime history including headstones associated with the loss of RMS Titanic (15th April 1912), while Belgian soldiers who died in hospitals in and around Southampton during the First World War have their own plot with a distinctive monument.
The cemetery was designed by Loudon and is believed to be his final work before his death on the Isle of Wight.
Information supplied by Friends of the Old Cemetery
Click here to visit Historic England site for this location.
HE description rewritten: September 1999 Register Inspector: KC Edited: February 2004 Upgraded: November 2009.