Our regular guided walk takes place this Sunday, August 14 at Radnor Street Cemetery. Meet at the Chapel for 2pm.
The cemetery opened in 1881. Here is a description taken from a trade directory two years later.
SWINDON CEMETERY.- Situate on the hill at the west of Swindon, this enclosure of about eleven acres commands beautiful views over the vale of Swindon, and for many miles to the west and north. The chapel, in the centre of the ground, is in the Early English style, with apsidal east-end, vestry and bell-turret, and accommodates 100 persons. There is also a mortuary chapel. The main entrances are at Clifton-street, which is convenient for funerals from Old Swindon, and at Redcross-street, easily accessible from the new town over Cambria-bridge. At the latter entrance is the lodge, a substantial and convenient residence for the care-taker. The number of burials in the cemetery from the day of the opening, August 6th, 1881, to the end of December, 1882, were 309. Burial Board (formed from the two Local Boards): Messrs. W. Dawson, Thomas Pope, W. Dean, A. Plummer, J. Holden, W. Morris, W. Reynolds, and W.B. Wearing. Clerk to the Burial Board, Mr. J.C. Townsend, 42, Cricklade-street. Care-taker, Charles Brown, The Lodge, Cemetery, Swindon.
The views may have changed somewhat, but I think they are still beautiful.
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The cemetery opened in 1881. Here is a description taken from a trade directory two years later.
SWINDON CEMETERY.- Situate on the hill at the west of Swindon, this enclosure of about eleven acres commands beautiful views over the vale of Swindon, and for many miles to the west and north. The chapel, in the centre of the ground, is in the Early English style, with apsidal east-end, vestry and bell-turret, and accommodates 100 persons. There is also a mortuary chapel. The main entrances are at Clifton-street, which is convenient for funerals from Old Swindon, and at Redcross-street, easily accessible from the new town over Cambria-bridge. At the latter entrance is the lodge, a substantial and convenient residence for the care-taker. The number of burials in the cemetery from the day of the opening, August 6th, 1881, to the end of December, 1882, were 309. Burial Board (formed from the two Local Boards): Messrs. W. Dawson, Thomas Pope, W. Dean, A. Plummer, J. Holden, W. Morris, W. Reynolds, and W.B. Wearing. Clerk to the Burial Board, Mr. J.C. Townsend, 42, Cricklade-street. Care-taker, Charles Brown, The Lodge, Cemetery, Swindon.
The views may have changed somewhat, but I think they are still beautiful.
