Southampton Old Cemetery

Southampton (Old) Cemetery is located in Cemetery Road, The Common, Southampton SO15 7NN

The first burial to take place at Southampton (Old) Cemetery was on 8 May 1846 and the cemetery was extended in 1863 and 1886.

Southampton (Old) Cemetery is one of England’s earliest municipal cemeteries and is located on Southampton Common. Parts of this cemetery are listed Grade II on English Heritage's Register of Historic Parks and Gardens; established by the Southampton Cemetery Act of 1843 it was landscaped by W H Rogers who was a local nurseryman at that time.

The cemetery is important historically as a record of the people of Southampton and over the years a great diversity of wildlife has developed in it. For these reasons the cemetery is maintained in such a way as to preserve the diversity of flora and fauna whilst maintaining its historical interest, and its continuing use as a burial ground.

This conservation management approach means that in order to encourage and preserve the diversity of wildlife species, some of which are only found in certain areas, grass cutting is carried out at different times of the year and at different frequencies within those areas. A map has been produced showing the frequency at which different areas of the cemetery are cut, see document below.

The cemetery covers 27 acres and has a number of graves associated with the Titanic, Battle of Waterloo, Charge of the Light Brigade, the Indian Mutiny and Boer War. For further information on graves of historical or local interest visit the Friends of the Old Cemetery website.