Canwick Road Old Cemetery

Canwick Road Old Cemetery
Canwick Road Old Cemetery
Details
Established	1856 (1856)
Location	Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Country	England
Coordinates	53°13′08″N 0°31′47″W / 53.2188°N 0.5296°W / 53.2188; -0.5296
Type	Former Cemetery
Owned by	Lincolnshire County Council
No. of graves	31,831
Website	heritage-explorer.lincolnshire.gov.uk/Monument/MLI87378
Find a Grave	Canwick Road Old Cemetery

Canwick Road Old Cemetery also known as The Old Cemetery or Canwick Road Cemetery was built in 1856 near the city of Lincoln in Lincolnshire, England. The cemetery opened in 1856 and with two chapels of ease built by Michael Drury in the Gothic Revival style which was common with most churches in Lincolnshire at the time. It was also Lincoln's first cemetery to be built.^[1]

History

Following the Public Health Act 1848, areas of open land on the outskirts of Lincoln were able to be built on and be used as cemeteries. The cemetery was built and opened in 1856, close to some greenbelt near Lincoln named the "Cow Paddle". The size and initial building of the cemetery proved controversial with local residents but was eventually passed through the planning stages and built by architect Michael Drury.^[2][3]

Chapels

A notable landmark is the two chapels that formerly were used for holding services and offering a place for visitors of the deceased to sit and reflect or pray. These chapels fell into disuse following the cemetery reaching its burial limit and as a result. The chapels have been left in a dilapidated and derelict state. The crematorium opened in 1968 in the nearby St Swithins Graveyard on Washingborough Road and this is likely when the chapels were closed although no official date has been listed. The chapels are Grade II listed. According to Historic England, part of the official listing entry mentions and quote "Pair of former chapels, now disused. 1856. By Michael Drury. Coursed and squared rubble with ashlar dressings and plain tile roof. Gothic Revival style with pointed arched windows and Geometrical tracery." The chapels were listed in August 1973.^[4]

Present day

The cemetery still sees occasional burials but all services now take place at either the nearby churches, chapels or the crematorium at Saint Swithins Graveyard. The chapels at Canwick Road Old Cemetery remain disused and there has been no movement to either reopen them for services or for other uses.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canwick Road Old Cemetery.

• "Building record MLI87378 - Cemetery Chapel, The Old Cemetery, Canwick Road, Lincoln". Lincolnshire Heritage Explorer.