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York Cemetery

York Cemetery

York Cemetery was opened in 1837 in response to the growing need for burial space. The architect and landscaper was James Piggot Pritchett, who based the chapel and gatehouse on the Erechtheon, which stands beside the Acropolis on the Parthenon in Athens.

The cemetery prospered until the 1940s when cremation became more fashionable. In June 1966, the liquidators were called in and by 1979, there was nothing left of any commercial value. No individual was available to assume responsibility and the York City Council declined to become involved. As a result, the site devolved to the Crown. The gates were locked, abandoning 120,000 bodies and two listed buildings. The site became derelict and overgrown, the chapel was vandalised and eventually the roof collapsed. A local action group was formed to rescue the cemetery, becoming the York Cemetery Trust. After two and a half years of planning, negotiation and fund raising, the Crown Commissioners sold the site and its freehold to the Trust on February 13th 1987.

There is an ecologically sympathetic land management plan which provides access to old and new grave sites and a sensitive environment for wildlife.

The chemical free 24 acres encourages small mammals, birds, amphibians and many species of insect. In 2005, three new species of butterfly, the Brown Argus, not recorded in York for more than 200 years, the Purple Hairstreak and the Whiteletter Hairstreak were discovered. Only three more Yorkshire sites, all in Dalby Forest, have more recorded species than York Cemetery.

The cemetery is a peaceful haven for visiting family and friends in their serene final resting places, for quiet contemplation and for appreciating the wonderful flora and fauna.

Organised walks are arranged throughout the summer and autumn.

York Cemetery shares a boundary wall with Low Moor Allotments, reached via Kilburn Road from the A19 Fulford Road. Because the site is mostly gardened sympathetically and chemical free, it is also a haven for invertebrates and small mammals. Most of the butterflies and moths seen in the cemetery also inhabit the allotments, as do the many species of birds and insects.

The site won the York Pride Best Community Project award in 2005.

The Community Kids’ Allotment won the Duke of York Community Initiative Award recently.

There is a boules pitch, a site shop and many enthusiasts willing to share their knowledge and expertise with new gardeners.

Low Moor Allotments were once part of the ancient common pasture land known as Walmgate Stray, or Low Moor.
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