Holywell Cemetery


Holywell Cemetery is next to St Cross Church in Oxford, England. The cemetery is behind the church in St Cross Road, south of Holywell Manor on Manor Road and north of Longwall Street, in the parish of Holywell.

History

In the mid 19th century, the graveyards of the six parishes in central Oxford became full, so Merton College made some of its land available to form the cemetery in 1847.
The cemetery was established along with Osney Cemetery and St Sepulchre's Cemetery. In 1855, new burials were forbidden at all Oxford city churches, apart from in existing vaults.
The cemetery is now a wildlife refuge with many birds and butterflies, as well as small and larger mammals, including Muntjac deer and foxes. Hedgehogs are also known to live there.

Notable interments and memorials

A number of well-known people are buried in the cemetery, including:
A wooden grave marker that was used to mark the grave of the England Rugby captain Ronald Poulton-Palmer at Ploegsteert wood is affixed to a wall in the cemetery.
The cemetery contains three war graves that are maintained and registered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission – two British Army officers of World War I and a Royal Air Force officer of World War II.

Friends

A Friends of Holywell Cemetery has been established to raise funds and manage the cemetery.