Description
Bexleyheath Cemetery was founded by the Burial Board in 1876 and opened in 1879. Bexleyheath had grown up in the C19th as a new town along the main London to Dover road, which ran across the heath at Bexley. The cemetery has little in the way of mature trees or landscaping, although there is a small flower bed in front of the chapel. Paths are in a grid layout, with a serpentine element towards the centre. In 2001 a memorial garden was opened for cremated remains.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Christchurch Cemetery |
|---|---|
| Site location | Banks Lane, Broadway/Upland Road, Bexleyheath |
| Postcode | DA6 7BH |
| What3Words | ///composers.income.deeper |
| Type of Site | Cemetery |
| Borough | Bexley |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 9am - 6pm (summer: April-September); 9am-4pm (winter: October-March) |
| Public Transport | Rail: Bexleyheath then bus. Bus: 132, 269, 401, 422, 469, B11, B12 , B13, B14, B16. |
| Research Updated | 1 December 2006 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Bexleyheath Cemetery was founded by the Burial Board in 1876 and opened in 1879. Bexleyheath grew up in the C19th as a new town along the main London road to Dover, which ran across the heath at Bexley. However, Bexleyheath remained part of the parish of St Mary's Bexley (q.v.) until 1866 when it became a separate parish, and it was administered by the vestry until 1894 when Bexley Urban District Council was created. A chapel-of-ease had been built in 1835 on a site on what is now Oaklands Road, the land donated by John Smith of Blendon Hall, with an adjacent burial ground. Now largely built over, a few of the headstones remain today near Bexleyheath War Memorial but the chapel was demolished after the new Bexleyheath parish church of Christchurch opened in the Broadway in 1877.
The cemetery has little in the way of mature trees, although there are small Araucaria, dotted yew and holly, and a group of small Cedars. There is a small flower bed in front of the chapel, which was built in early C14th style by E Hodgkinson. Paths are basically in a grid layout, with a serpentine element towards the centre of the cemetery. Meller notes the surprising array of iron tomb railings. In 2001 a memorial garden was opened for the burial of cremated remains. The cemetery is linked with Christ Church by an avenue of semi-mature horse chestnuts. Although the cemetery has little landscape interest it does, together with a small adjoining park, War Memorial Gardens (q.v.), form a welcome green space close to Bexleyheath shopping centre. The two sites are separated by a low stone wall topped with wire mesh. A line of semi-mature limes line the inside of the wall.
The cemetery has little in the way of mature trees, although there are small Araucaria, dotted yew and holly, and a group of small Cedars. There is a small flower bed in front of the chapel, which was built in early C14th style by E Hodgkinson. Paths are basically in a grid layout, with a serpentine element towards the centre of the cemetery. Meller notes the surprising array of iron tomb railings. In 2001 a memorial garden was opened for the burial of cremated remains. The cemetery is linked with Christ Church by an avenue of semi-mature horse chestnuts. Although the cemetery has little landscape interest it does, together with a small adjoining park, War Memorial Gardens (q.v.), form a welcome green space close to Bexleyheath shopping centre. The two sites are separated by a low stone wall topped with wire mesh. A line of semi-mature limes line the inside of the wall.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ487754 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 2.126 |
| Site Ownership | LB Bexley |
| Site Management | Cemeteries Section (Highways and Amenities Department) |
| Dates | 1876 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Christchurch and vicarage at the entrance |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Bexley |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Russell Park was laid out by 1951 to serve the local population of Bexleyheath.
Red House was designed and built by Philip Webb for William Morris in 1859 and represents an important example of Arts and Crafts domestic architecture. Built in an orchard and retaining many of the old trees, Red House and its garden were conceived as a unity, the garden designed to 'clothe' the house. A series of medieval-style compartments were arranged around the grounds and old flower varieties were planted, inspiring Morris's later wallpaper design. Morris lived here with his family until 1865 and it remained in private ownership until 2003, when the property was acquired by the National Trust. The garden retains much of the overall shape of Morris's time, although subsequent owners added what is now the Orchard and Kitchen Garden.
Golf has been played here since 1909, when Bexleyheath Golf Club was established. Made on former farmland, possibly part of the Blendon House estate, the 9-hole golf course has the appearance of vestigial parkland planting, with small tree clumps and some standards on the slopes. A building called The Thatched Cottage was recorded in the late 1950s.
