Flaybrick Hill Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Flaybrick Hill Cemetery was a municipal cemetery
situated in Birkenhead
, on the Wirral Peninsula
, England
. It has been designated a conservation area
by Wirral Borough Council
, who own the site.
Originally planned in the 1840s, Joseph Paxton
was approached to design a large municipal cemetery for the expanding township of Birkenhead, but due to the recession and subsequent decrease in the population, the plan went no further. By the 1860s a boom made the provision of a new cemetery a priority. A competition was held for the design which was won by Edward Kemp
, a pupil of Paxton's and Curator of Birkenhead Park
. Kemp was assisted by Edward Mills, a prominent Birkenhead surveyor from Hamilton Square
, and Messrs Lucy and Littler, architects of Liverpool
. The general contractor was William Rimmer of Bidston Hall, with John Miller of St. Helens
the contractor for buildings. The site chosen was Flaybrick Hill, a prominent location overlooked by Bidston Hill
. Originally 16.5 acres (6.7 ha) were purchased, but by the 1890s the site was extended to 26 acres (10.5 ha).
The cemetery was officially opened 30 May 1864 and named Birkenhead Cemetery. Originally the site had three separate denominational chapels. The Roman Catholic chapel was demolished in 1971 and a memorial wall has been erected on its site. The remaining two chapels, for Nonconformists and the Church of England
, were last used in 1975. Most of the buildings are now in a considerable state of dereliction. The Registrar's office and Sexton's Lodge are now privately owned.
In 1995, Flaybrick Cemetery was renamed Flaybrick Memorial Gardens and an arboretum
has been created. A wildlife-friendly approach to the management of the Memorial Gardens is carried out by a designated Ranger.
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
situated in Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
, on the Wirral Peninsula
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It has been designated a conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
by Wirral Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Wirral
The Metropolitan Borough of Wirral is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, in North West England. It has a population of 311,200, and encompasses of the northern part of the Wirral Peninsula. Major settlements include Birkenhead, Wallasey, Bebington, Heswall, Hoylake and West Kirby. The city of...
, who own the site.
Originally planned in the 1840s, Joseph Paxton
Joseph Paxton
Sir Joseph Paxton was an English gardener and architect, best known for designing The Crystal Palace.-Early life:...
was approached to design a large municipal cemetery for the expanding township of Birkenhead, but due to the recession and subsequent decrease in the population, the plan went no further. By the 1860s a boom made the provision of a new cemetery a priority. A competition was held for the design which was won by Edward Kemp
Edward Kemp
Edward Kemp was an English landscape architect and an author. Together with Joseph Paxton and Edward Milner, Kemp became one of the leaders in the design of parks and gardens during the mid-Victorian era in England....
, a pupil of Paxton's and Curator of Birkenhead Park
Birkenhead Park
Birkenhead Park is a public park in the centre of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula, England. It was designed by Joseph Paxton and opened on 5 April 1847...
. Kemp was assisted by Edward Mills, a prominent Birkenhead surveyor from Hamilton Square
Hamilton Square
Hamilton Square in Birkenhead, Wirral, England is a town square surrounded by Georgian terraces. No two sides of the square are identical. It was built beginning in 1826 and to the design of Edinburgh architect James Gillespie Graham...
, and Messrs Lucy and Littler, architects of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. The general contractor was William Rimmer of Bidston Hall, with John Miller of St. Helens
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
the contractor for buildings. The site chosen was Flaybrick Hill, a prominent location overlooked by Bidston Hill
Bidston Hill
Bidston Hill is of heathland and woodland that contains historic buildings and ancient rock carvings. It is located on the Wirral Peninsula, near the Birkenhead suburb of Bidston, in Merseyside, England...
. Originally 16.5 acres (6.7 ha) were purchased, but by the 1890s the site was extended to 26 acres (10.5 ha).
The cemetery was officially opened 30 May 1864 and named Birkenhead Cemetery. Originally the site had three separate denominational chapels. The Roman Catholic chapel was demolished in 1971 and a memorial wall has been erected on its site. The remaining two chapels, for Nonconformists and the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, were last used in 1975. Most of the buildings are now in a considerable state of dereliction. The Registrar's office and Sexton's Lodge are now privately owned.
In 1995, Flaybrick Cemetery was renamed Flaybrick Memorial Gardens and an arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
has been created. A wildlife-friendly approach to the management of the Memorial Gardens is carried out by a designated Ranger.