Description
In July 1936 Hayes and Harlington UDC acquired this land for use as a burial ground. Cherry Lane Cemetery was opened in 1936 with the first burial taking place in 1937, and an additional portion was consecrated in May 1944. It is so called because the former name of Shepiston Lane was Cherry Lane. Within the cemetery is the EMI Memorial commemorating 37 people who died when a bomb landed on the EMI factory in Hayes in WWII.
Practical Information
| Site location | Shepiston Lane, Harlington, Middlesex |
|---|---|
| Postcode | UB3 1LL |
| What3Words | ///cult.traps.backup |
| Type of Site | Cemetery |
| Borough | Hillingdon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 9am - 4pm (November-February); - 5pm (March/October); - 6pm (April); - 7pm (September); - 8pm (May - August). Sun/Good Fri/BH/Xmas Day opens 10am |
| Public Transport | Rail: West Drayton then bus/walk. Bus: 222, A10 to Cherry Lane Roundabout. |
| Research Updated | 1 February 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The site was part of a field of 24.5 acres owned and farmed by the Hayward family. Land next to the cemetery is still farmed at Frogsditch Farm. Once known as the Beech Wood, the land was formerly within the extensive Dawley estate, a manor recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086 with a grand house, gardens and parkland. Cherry Lane Cemetery was laid out with a grid of paths and at the roadside boundary has 2 semi-circular entrances with iron gates and railings with brick and stone piers. Cemetery planting includes a variety of trees such as conifers and evergreens particularly along the south boundary. A small rustic shelter is located midway along the south boundary with hedging in front, and dotted around the cemetery are a number of quite picturesque roofed structures for watering cans. A more recent Garden of Remembrance is located near a pond, with pleasant landscaping and seating. In 1977 a new section was designated for Muslim burials. By October 2008 some 9,500 people had been buried here.
In 2008, the cemetery was under threat of losing part of its land to road realignment within BAA's plans for the construction of a third runway for Heathrow Airport, and as a result CLAD (Cherry Lane Against Development) was established to oppose this. The third runway scheme was given government permission to go ahead in January 2009 and while BAA has indicated that the cemetery would not be affected, legislation is not in place to uphold this.
In 2008, the cemetery was under threat of losing part of its land to road realignment within BAA's plans for the construction of a third runway for Heathrow Airport, and as a result CLAD (Cherry Lane Against Development) was established to oppose this. The third runway scheme was given government permission to go ahead in January 2009 and while BAA has indicated that the cemetery would not be affected, legislation is not in place to uphold this.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ079786 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Hillingdon |
| Site Management | Cemetery Office (Grounds Maintenance Service) |
| Dates | 1936 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: EMI Memorial |
| 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 | Hillingdon |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| 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
Pinkwell Park is on the site of former fields north of Pinkwell Farm and once part of the extensive Dawley estate. The recreation ground was laid out when the Bourne Farm Estate housing development was built from the 1930s onwards between the railway, Dawley Road and Pinkwell Lane. The park was transferred to Hayes & Harlington UDC on 1 January 1937. It suffered bomb damage in October 1940.
Victoria Lane Burial Ground was established in 1871 by Harlington Burial Board at the same time as the extension to St Peter and St Paul's Churchyard was made. There are railings at the entrance and various monuments, with a number of conifers planted, and a rough path leads from the entrance centrally towards the middle of the cemetery.
Harlington is referred to in the Domesday Book in 1086 and St Peter and St Paul's Church is the old parish church. Harlington Manor had various owners including Ambrose Coppinger who entertained Queen Elizabeth I here in 1602. The monuments in the churchyard are mainly C19th. A fine old yew tree to the south was the subject of elaborate topiary until 1825 and there is another ancient yew to the north and a yew walk on the west axis. In 1871 an extension of the churchyard was established to the west by Harlington Burial Board.