A potted history

Please note that this text is an extract from a reference work written in 1990. As a result, some of the content may not reflect recent research, changes and events.

Some seventy acres of land between Bear Road and Hartington Road are used by the town for cemeteries and crematoria. The area was formerly the open arable field of Scabe’s Castle, a late-eighteenth-century farm with buildings in Hartington Road which were demolished in the 1900s when Hartington Place and Hartington Terrace were developed. {106,107,83}
The oldest of the three cemeteries is the:

a) EXTRA-MURAL CEMETERY: Originally a private burial ground, laid out on 28 acres in 1850 by the Brighton Extra-Mural Company, 6 acres being the gift of the Marquess of Bristol. The entrance was a castellated gateway with a round tower in Lewes Road, and there were two mortuary chapels designed by A.H.Wilds of which only the Anglican chapel remains, a large building in knapped flint with a turret spire; the Dissenting chapel to the south-west was a smaller building with a thin spire.

The cemetery was a favourite resort in the nineteenth century and even had a guide book published, but in 1956 the now redundant cemetery was purchased by the corporation and restored as an interesting and picturesque garden of remembrance which contains many impressive Victorian tombs, including those of several important figures in Brighton’s history. In the driveway is the borough mortuary which opened in August 1962 and has between 600 and 700 admissions a year. {24,83,126,257}

Any numerical cross-references in the text above refer to resources in the Sources and Bibliography section of the Encyclopaedia of Brighton by Tim Carder.

Comments about this page

  • Great photos! What a picturesque place this is.

    By Fred (02/03/2007)
  • I used to live in Riley Road, off Bear Road, in the 40s, 50s and 60s. As a child the extra mural cemetery was a wondrous overgrown jungle, but a fascinating place to go for a walk as the wildlife there was, certainly for the most part, undisturbed. During the summer school holidays we would go blackberrying in there – the biggest blackberries you ever did see! and we sold them door to door for 6d (6 old pennies) for a jamjar full. My mum thought they were delicious until she found out where they were coming from and then she wouldnt have any more!

    By Maureen Sweet (10/05/2009)
  • The tours around the grounds (part of the annual Brighton Fringe Festival), are really worth doing. They last about two hours and are fascinating. There is even a novel written about the cemetery – ‘King Death’s Garden’ published by Puffin and written by Ann Halam. It’s a children’s ghost story. Used to have it at one time.

    By Cheryl (04/07/2010)
  • Hello – I am writing a book on railway tunnel accidents and am, of course, doing Clayton tunnel… in August 1861. I have found a comment that 16 of the 23 that died are buried in this cemetery but can find no other evidence to support this? Do you have any idea? Would really appreciate to hear from you.

    By Dr R Matheson (21/08/2016)
  • Thanks for that information. Sadly not going to be able to make the Festival, but love tours of cemetery, they are such interesting places and this one sounds great.

    By Dr R Matheson (24/08/2016)
  • Hi, just a thought about the request for information re the victims of the Clayton Tunnel disaster. You could try dropping a line to the chap who lives in the little gothic cottage that sits on top of Clayton tunnel. He is very well informed about the history of the line and tunnel, and also the accident etc and may well have the information you seek. I have been on a tour of the cottage during the Heritage weekend (Sept) and his address is as follows:  Tunnel House, Clayton Hill, Clayton, Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, BN6 9PQ (Sourced from his website)

    Hope that’s useful. 

    By Helen (24/08/2016)
  • Also doing the cemetery tour may be of help, I did it years ago during the Festival, the guide knew all the history. By the way, one of the main engineers who built the railway is buried there in a very spectacular mausoleum. [yes, a Mr Rastrick whose mausoleum originally could be seen from the railway works at the station. Editing Team]

    By Peter Groves (25/08/2016)
  • A direct ancestor of mine lost his second wife in the Clayton tunnel disaster of 1861. There are many reports of the crash which record how terrible it was.  Most of the dead were only identifiable by the clothes they wore, as the boiler of one engine burst over the passenger accommodation of the other.  I have no idea where she is buried.

    By Peter Barnard (25/08/2016)
  • Thanks again for the response, yes good idea about contacting the man who lives in the cottage – I have done so and he has been most helpful. Sorry to hear about you family member who died in the accident Peter. I am listing all the names in the chapter in the book and as much details as I have been able to find. Would really love to do the tour but again am on an incredibly tight deadline and do not have any spare minutes let alone hours/days it would take me. 

    By Dr R Matheson (01/09/2016)
  • What is the building to the right of the chapel?

    By Carol Cox (22/09/2016)
  • Recently I found out my maternal grand parents were laid to rest here, 1915 and 1917. Harriet and James Mockford, are in unmarked graves. They both died from TB related issues. My mum was orphaned so young. She went to live with Harriet’s sister in Porthall Road. I am currently compiling my mum’s  biography. This information is helpful.

     

    By Bonny Cother (05/02/2017)
  • A member of the Becher Family had a family vault here, described as owned in perpetuity, according to the Will of George Becher of Vernon Square Brighton in 1874. Can you tell me if the Vault still exists please? For family history interest. Many thanks.

    By Eileen P. Franchi, nee Northeast. (26/04/2021)
  • No Vernon Square in Brighton, [one in London part of UCL] but there is a Vernon Terrace at Seven Dials.

    By Dr Geoffrey Mead (26/04/2021)

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