Lyme Regis Cemetery

50.7303°N 2.9317°W / 50.7303; -2.9317

Lyme Regis Cemetery
The cemetery in 2021
Details
Established1856
Location
Charmouth Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset
CountryEngland
No. of graves~2,400
No. of intermentsEstimated 3,570–5,000+
Find a GraveLyme Regis Cemetery

Lyme Regis Cemetery is the principal cemetery in the English town of Lyme Regis, Dorset. Estimates for the number of burials in the cemetery range from 3,570[1] to over 5,000, nearly half of which may today be unmarked.[2] It was opened on 16 November 1856 as a replacement for the graveyard surrounding St Michael the Archangel – Lyme Regis' parish church – which had long suffered from erosion due to its close proximity to the sea.

History

Initially, the principal place of burial was at the cemetery surrounding St Michael the Archangel, Lyme Regis' parish church. However, due to its close proximity to the sea, the cemetery had started to erode away, losing many burials to the sea. Because of this, in the 1850s it was decided that a new cemetery would be constructed by Charmouth Road. A conveyance with the landowner was arranged in February 1856, and the ground was consecrated by the Bishop of Salisbury that same year, with the first burial occurring on 16 November. Soon after, two chapels were constructed, one for Church of England services and another for Dissenters (Nonconformists); only the Church of England chapel is still open for services today. The original plan was revised in 1870 to allow for more burials. Shrubs and trees were also planted. Another expansion was required to the west side, which was consecrated by the Bishop of Sherborne in 1935.[3] In 2020, the council closed the entrances via King's Way and Elizabeth Close in order to stop the cemetery being used as a public thoroughfare.[4]

Notable burials

The cemetery allows anyone regardless of connection to Lyme Regis to be buried, however non-residents pay higher fees.[5] Notable burials include:

The cemetery also contains the war graves of 17 Commonwealth service personnel, 10 of which are from World War I and 7 from World War II.[7]

References
  1. Lyme Regis Cemetery. Lyme Regis Town Council. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  2. Lyme Regis Cemetery. Research Team's Digital Archive, Lyme Regis Museum. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  3. Humphrey, Fred (May 2020) Lyme Regis Cemetery – An Introduction. Research Team. Lyme Regis Museum. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  4. Welch, Lottie (9 April 2020) Lyme Regis cemetery now open for residents to visit graves. Birdport News. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  5. Evans, Francesca (8 February 2021) Cemetery burials to be restricted to those with proven link to Lyme Regis. LymeOnline. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  6. Mitchell, Charlotte (23 September 2004) Smith, Georgina Castle [née Georgina Meyrick; pseud. Brenda]. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. (revised 2008). Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  7. Lyme Regis Cemetery – cemetery details. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
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