|Willesden New Cemetery||Brent|
Willesden Local Board purchased this land in 1888 for Willesden New Cemetery. The cemetery opened 1891 and was so-named to distinguish it from the burial ground at St Mary's Willesden, which then became known as Willesden Old Cemetery. The cemetery was simply laid out with straight paths and originally had a pair of chapels, now demolished. It has an unusually sylvan character with its many trees. Willesden Civilian War Memorial, was erected to commemorate local people who died in WWII.
The information shown above was correct at the time of the last update 01/07/2009
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Willesden New Cemetery, March 2001. Photo: S Williams
Click photo to enlarge.
Willesden Local Board purchased c.10.5 hectares of land in 1888 for Willesden New Cemetery, which opened 1891, so called to distinguish it from the burial ground at St Mary's Willesden (q.v.) which then became known as Willesden Old Cemetery. £20,000 was spent on the purchase and laying out of the ground and a pair of 'unique Pont Street Dutch' chapels was erected, designed by Mr C H Worley, now demolished. The layout of paths in the cemetery is simple and straight, but it has an unusually sylvan character deriving from the preponderance and density of deciduous planting. Among the trees are horse chestnut, Lombardy and hybrid poplar, willow and a circus of horse chestnut. There was once a lime walk to the Willesden Civilian War Memorial, which was erected in tribute to local people who died in WWII.
Hugh Meller & Brian Parsons, 'London Cemeteries, An Illustrated Guide and Gazetteer', 4th edition (The History Press, 2008); Victoria County History; Bridget Cherry and Nikolaus Pevsner, 'The Buildings of England London 3: North West' (Penguin, 1999 ed); LB Brent Cemeteries web page