The Muslim Burial Ground, Horsell Common was the original resting place of two dozen Muslim

Muslim

A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...

 soldiers who died during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 and World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. It measures about 30 metres (98.4 ft) by 30 metres and is located at in the southeast corner of Horsell Common

Horsell Common SSSI

Horsell Common is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Surrey, England, UK. It is and lies near Horsell, an ancient village nearby to the more modern Woking. It includes a Muslim Burial Ground and a number of Bronze Age barrows and heathland. The common has thousands of trees. There are parts...

 about 100 metres off Monument Road. It is a Grade II listed building.

Large numbers of men from the Indian subcontinent fought on the Western Front during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

. Some of those who were injured were moved to hospitals on the English south coast including Brighton

Brighton

Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...

. Of those, nineteen Muslims died and were buried here. The site was chosen for its proximity to the Shah Jahan Mosque

Shah Jahan Mosque

The Shah Jahan Mosque is the first purpose-built mosque in Britain built 1889 in Woking, 30 miles south-west of London in Oriental Road.-Construction:...

, at the time, the only mosque in England. A further five men who died during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 were buried here.

In the 1960s

1960s

The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...

 the site was becoming subject to vandalism so in 1968 the bodies were transferred to the Military Cemetery at Brookwood

Brookwood Cemetery

Brookwood Cemetery is a burial ground in Brookwood, Surrey, England. It is the largest cemetery in the United Kingdom and one of the largest in western Europe.-History:...

. The monument was restored in the 1990s as a result of financial support from Woking

Woking

Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....

 local, Paul Weller

Paul Weller

Paul Weller is an English singer-songwriter. Starting with the band The Jam , Weller then went on to branch out musically to a more soulful style with The Style Council...

.

External links

• A Muslim trail in Woking on the untoldLondon website
• Other photos including the extensive interpretation board at the site