Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester

Welford Road Cemetery is a historic public cemetery in Leicester. Established by the Leicester General Cemetery Company in 1845, it officially opened in 1849. The cemetery’s original design was the work of architects J. R. Hamilton and J. M. Medland, who also designed cemeteries in Birmingham and Plymouth. Initially intended as a burial ground for dissenters, Welford Road Cemetery eventually accommodated the local Anglican community as well.

The cemetery originally covered 17 acres (6.9 hectares) and followed a symmetrical layout, with separate chapels for Anglicans and non-Anglicans. It was later expanded by an additional 13 acres (5.3 hectares) in 1894. The division of the land into consecrated and unconsecrated sections reflected the religious distinctions of the time. Though the chapels and a Gothic lodge near the entrance have since been demolished, some historic elements remain, including the 1895 ornate entrance gates and the gardener’s lodge, which now serves as the University of Leicester chaplaincy. A modern visitor’s center has also been established near the main entrance.

Welford Road Cemetery holds significant historical importance, particularly for its war memorials. The site contains over 300 British Commonwealth war graves maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), with 286 from the First World War-many of which are commemorated on a Screen Wall memorial within a war graves plot-and 46 from the Second World War. Additionally, the cemetery is the final resting place of eight Belgian servicemen, one of whom remains unidentified. A striking war memorial featuring a statue designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield further commemorates those who served.

Today, Welford Road Cemetery remains an important part of Leicester’s heritage, offering insight into the city’s social and military history through its preserved monuments and memorials.