Description
Northwood Cemetery opened in 1915 as a consequence of the growth of population in the Northwood area. The land was once part of the former Ruislip Common, by then in municipal ownership. It is a neat municipal cemetery with shrub beds and ornamental grasses either side of the entrance, which is through gates with brick piers. There are numerous conifers throughout with various avenues of ornamental and evergreen trees. At the entrance is a small rustic pavilion. The land slopes uphill with a belt of trees at the cemetery boundary.
Practical Information
| Site location | Chestnut Avenue, Northwood, Middlesex |
|---|---|
| Postcode | HA6 |
| What3Words | ///mirror.vivid.apple |
| 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 | Tube: Northwood Hills (Metropolitan). Bus: 282, H11. |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2005 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The suburban development of Northwood Hills accelerated from 1933 when another station opened. Haste Hill Golf Course nearby was laid out in 1927-29 and the cemetery abuts a recreation ground.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ097901 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Hillingdon |
| Site Management | Cemetery Office (Grounds Maintenance Service) |
| Dates | 1915 |
| 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 | No |
| 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
Ruislip Lido was formed in the 1930s from an artificial lake that was made in the early C19th to feed the Grand Junction Canal. The grounds around the Lido were laid out for the Canal Company in the 1930s, including a restaurant and dance floor, with a miniature railway provided from c.1945 and a beach offering swimming, pedalos and water-skiing. In the 1950s the Lido was purchased by the local council, who continue to maintain the site. For someone unfamiliar with the area, coming across the Lido with its beach and miniature railway is a complete surprise.
Ruislip Woods contain a number of woods including Park Wood, Copse Wood, Mad Bess Wood, Bayhurst Woods and Poors Field, and the site is a substantial fragment of the formerly extensive Ruislip Park, at one time comparable to Enfield Chase. The woods were worked into the C20th but in 1932-36 the estate passed into public ownership. Ruislip Woods was preserved as part of the Green Belt and designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1950.
St John's School is located in the grounds of a spectacularly-sited villa, Potter Hill House, which was built in 1924 and had ornamental gardens. The school moved here from Pinner in 1970 and although part of the original Arts & Crafts-style garden remains near the main building, some of the earlier landscaping has been lost to playing fields and school buildings and there is some encroachment by residential development on the north-west. The school acquired additional land in 1990, used for environmental study as well as sports, and is planting a Jubilee Wood in 2012.