Description
The Old Burial Ground was laid out on the edge of Uxbridge village in 1576, and is now surrounded by busy roads. It closed to burials in 1855 and was made into a public garden. Most of the gravestones were moved to the perimeter with a few chest tombs and gravestones remaining in the grass. A drinking fountain was erected in the garden in 1898, and later a War Memorial,
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Vine Street Memorial Garden |
|---|---|
| Site location | Windsor Street, Uxbridge |
| Postcode | UB8 |
| What3Words | ///plant.broad.glow |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | Hillingdon |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Public Transport | Tube: Uxbridge (Piccadilly, Metropolitan) |
| Research Updated | 1 August 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Old Burial Ground is 150 yards south-west of St Margaret's, Uxbridge Parish Church, which was laid out on the edge of town on land given in 1576 by Henry, Earl of Darby. The land was then enclosed by Margery Legie, widow and daughter of Thomas Saunders of Uxbridge, in September 1576, 'at her own Cost and Charge'. The entrance gateway was repaired in 1777. The burial ground was closed in 1855 and made into a public garden, this information given on plaques on the gateway. A drinking fountain was erected in the garden in memory to E Pratt d.1898. Less than an acre in size, the site is now dominated by busy roads that surround it. The boundary has a low retaining wall; most of the gravestones have been moved to the perimeter with a few chest tombs and gravestones set into the grass. An asphalt path runs through the garden, partly flanked by flower beds with a war memorial surmounted by a Winged Victory at the junction of paths. C19th and C20th trees include sycamore, ash and horse chestnut. Since 2003 some works have been carried out including planting, paths and seating plus restoration of walls and railings.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ054840 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | LB Hillingdon |
| Site Management | Green Spaces Team |
| Dates | 1576; 1777; 1855 |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Entrance gateway |
| 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 | 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
The site was donated to Uxbridge District Council by Kate Fassnidge, widow of landowner Edward Fassnidge who had died in 1921. It was formerly the garden of their Uxbridge house, The Cedars. Originally named The Fassnidge Memorial Recreation Ground, the park is an unusually well-preserved early C20th park and its layout and features are remarkably little changed since opening in October 1926, the first recreation ground dedicated to the public in Uxbridge.
Uxbridge Friends Meeting House is a Georgian brick building with arched windows built in 1817-18, which originally consisted of two rooms divided by a cross passage with sliding shutters. It is surrounded by its small burial ground, which is railed to the road and contains a few gravestones near the Meeting House. This now provides a small garden with grass, conifers and other trees, and is open at certain times to the public. Part of the garden is also used by a nursery that occupies the Meeting House on weekdays. Friends Walk divides the garden from a further area of paving and seating owned by the adjacent Allied Irish Bank.
Hillingdon House was the former manor house of West Hillingdon, an old settlement on the way to Uxbridge. The house was rebuilt in 1717 by the Duke of Schomberg but largely destroyed by a fire in 1844 and rebuilt by architect George Mair. It has been an RAF Officers' Mess since 1915 when the RAF bought the estate. There is a serpentine lake in the grounds, which still stretch down to the River Pinn, although the character has been eroded by RAF use.