Horsham Cemetery full of life and fascination

It’s unlikely whether Horsham’s Denne Road Cemetery could be considered a well-known part of the town!

Just far enough away from the shopping centre, it’s not an area that attracts tourists or even local residents, especially as it ran out of space for new burials by 1900.

However, did you know it was designated a Local Wildlife Site in 1992 and is a haven for all manner of wildlife and considered of countywide significance for its biodiversity.

It was opened in July 1852, and by 1856 the cemetery had become Horsham’s only permitted burial ground.

There were more than 3,000 burials in this cemetery and although many were in unmarked graves and several gravestones have long since disappeared it remains a fascinating glimpse into Horsham’s past.

Horsham Museum & Art Gallery have a new blog on its website that points out some of the amazing wildlife that can be found at the cemetery.

It also highlights a few of the stories behind the prominent local residents who are buried on the site.

Many more are detailed in ‘Waking the Dead: A Pocket Guide to Denne Road Cemetery’ by Susan C. Djabri.

The Horsham Society include Denne Road Cemetery in its local walks.