Southampton Old Cemetery

[Alansworld]

From the website of the friends of the cemetery:

The cemetery has had various titles including The Cemetery by the Common, Hill Lane Cemetery and is currently known as Southampton Old Cemetery. An Act of Parliament was required in 1843 to acquire the land from Southampton Common. It now covers an area of 27 acres and the total number of burials is estimated at 116,800. Currently there are 6 to 8 burials a year to existing family plots.

As implied, the cemetery is now pretty well full. It's also pretty well overgrown, particularly at this time of the year. Some parts of it have been mown, but it must be a bit like painting the Forth Bridge. It would be well nigh impossible to get to some of the graves. That's probably why I didn't find any graves of victims of the Titanic disaster, of which there are reputed to be numerous here.

Here is a small sample of a dozen or so pics, chosen really to convey a sense of the jungle-ness. When I get a chance I'll post a full set of pics on my website (it'll be around 50 or 60 pics, and bigger than these) and post a further message here.

 

[UEP-Wales]

Some nice shots there! Always saddens me to see graves in such a state!

 

[freespirits]

wow beautiful pics and loving the celtic stones ,,as always a shame to see these places so overgrown but also lovely to see it eu naturale !!!! top report dude

 

[flyboys90]

Yes its sad to see the state of a lot of graveyards but still you got some great pics.

 

[the_historian]

Great pics, but that's what always annoys me about graveyards in England. You wont find many in Scotland in that state.

 

[LairdOfLochaber]

Beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

[scribble]

I love graveyards. There are "Friends" groups springing up to restore and maintain them. It's a delicate balance between keeping tidy and becoming sterile. I think the Friends of Dean and Manor Road cemeteries" in Scarborough are doing a great job. They've found a Secret garden.

 

[Jet48]

Nice pictures liked the one of the tomb in a field of weeds. Shame to see the place let go like this.

 

[nelly]

Love that Alan, if you are into your cemetery photography then can I steer you to a group that I mod on FaceBook called Necropolis

http://www.facebook.com/groups/140078746089399/

(Cheap plug there!!!)

 

[Alansworld]

Thanks to all for the kind comments. Work is a bit of a bugger at the mo, so I haven't yet had a chance to post my full set of pix to my site; maybe tomorrow.

Nelly: many thanks for that. I shall certainly be investigating the group. I used to run a massive graves and cemeteries website, all my own pix, and it's still my favourite area of photography. Cheers.

Gordon, I did a Scotland trip a few years ago, and I agree with you. Graveyards and cemeteries there are quite different. I've posted a couple of reports from there here on DP.