Description
South West Middlesex Crematorium opened in 1954 and now serves the London boroughs of Hounslow, Ealing, Hillingdon, Richmond and Spelthorne Borough Council. Surrounded at that time by open parkland, the site was chosen for 'its beauty and peaceful nature'. The group of buildings was planned on a symmetrical axis with a central Garden of Remembrance. The landscaped grounds have varied gardens behind the Crematorium building with numerous trees of many species; extensive rose gardens, and woodland areas.
Practical Information
| Site location | Hounslow Road/Hanworth Road, Hanworth |
|---|---|
| Postcode | TW13 5JH |
| What3Words | ///dining.editor.phones |
| Type of Site | Cemetery |
| Borough | Hounslow |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | main gate closed at 5pm (cars) |
| Public Transport | Rail: Feltham then bus. Bus: 111, 285 |
| Research Updated | 1 March 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
South West Middlesex Crematorium was the 74th crematorium to be opened in the country and the second to be established by a Joint Board representing a number of local authorities, in the case of South West Middlesex there were eight authorities on the Board at the time of opening. On 6 October 1954 the President of the Cremation Society, Lord Horder, opened the new facility, the chapels and Gardens of Remembrance were dedicated by the Bishop of Kensington, Rt. Revd Cyril Eastaugh. The idea for a crematorium had arisen in June 1942 when the Chairman of the Board and other members attended a cremation in Mortlake Crematorium (q.v.) and decided they must have 'one of their own' to serve the outlying parts of the catchment area. By January 1945 several other local boroughs were interested and a Joint Board was formed comprising Twickenham, Heston, Isleworth, Feltham, Sunbury, Hayes and Harlington, Staines and Yiewsley and Southall. A Private Bill was drafted and a site belonging to the MCC and partly in private ownership adjacent to the River Crane was selected. It was chosen for 'its beauty and peaceful nature' and it was surrounded at that time by open parkland.
The Crematorium was designed by architect John Denman, Denman & Son, with a group of buildings planned on a symmetrical axis with a central Garden of Remembrance. When it opened the first section had been completed at a cost of £75,000, with further chapels planned on either side of the Hall, two chapels on the west and further plans for a chapel on the east as circumstances required. It was anticipated that it 'would ultimately be one of the biggest crematoria in the country'. In 1981 land adjacent to the grounds was purchased to extend the car park. A third, larger chapel was built, which can accommodate the large congregations attending the increasing number of Sikh and Hindu funerals. At the funeral of the Sikh holy man Shadi Singh in May 1988 over 3,000 mourners attended.
The Crematorium gardens have gradually been extended and now comprise the North Garden, a Wild Garden, a Rose Garden and the main lawn. Memorials include the Book of Remembrance and Arboria wooden plaques, both located in the Remembrance Hall beneath the tower, and within the grounds are Wall Plaques, Rose Bushes and Bronze Kerbstone Plaques.
The Crematorium was designed by architect John Denman, Denman & Son, with a group of buildings planned on a symmetrical axis with a central Garden of Remembrance. When it opened the first section had been completed at a cost of £75,000, with further chapels planned on either side of the Hall, two chapels on the west and further plans for a chapel on the east as circumstances required. It was anticipated that it 'would ultimately be one of the biggest crematoria in the country'. In 1981 land adjacent to the grounds was purchased to extend the car park. A third, larger chapel was built, which can accommodate the large congregations attending the increasing number of Sikh and Hindu funerals. At the funeral of the Sikh holy man Shadi Singh in May 1988 over 3,000 mourners attended.
The Crematorium gardens have gradually been extended and now comprise the North Garden, a Wild Garden, a Rose Garden and the main lawn. Memorials include the Book of Remembrance and Arboria wooden plaques, both located in the Remembrance Hall beneath the tower, and within the grounds are Wall Plaques, Rose Bushes and Bronze Kerbstone Plaques.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ121732 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | South West Middlesex Crematorium Board |
| Site Management | South West Middlesex Crematorium Board |
| Dates | 1954 |
| Designers | John Denman, Denman & Son |
| 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 | Hounslow |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes - Metropolitan Importance (part of Crane Corr) |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - SRB |
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 land for Hounslow Cemetery was conveyed to Hounslow Burial Board in 1868 and the first portion was consecrated in February 1869. It was enlarged in the C20th when an additional area was consecrated in June 1921. Two further areas in the south-east portion of the ground were consecrated in May 1928 by the Lord Bishop of London, and an additional 5 acres consecrated in 1929. The two small cemetery chapels, divided by a porte-cochère, are in the oldest part of the cemetery. Between the graves is mown grass, with some trees including conifers generally found on the perimeter of the cemetery.
Crane Park is a linear park along the north bank of the River Crane from Meadway in Twickenham to the Hanworth Road in the west. The Crane had various names, including 'the Powder Mill River' due to its most important industry; the western end of the park was the site of Hounslow Gunpowder Works, which opened c.1766/8, flourishing into the early C20th. After it ceased to operate for gunpowder manufacture, the subsequent owner sold part of the site for housing and part to Twickenham Council who turned it into a public park, which was opened in 1935. It still retains important industrial archaeological remains including the Shot Tower built in 1828. Crane Park Island was created to contain a mill-pool of water used to drive mill machinery, some remains of which are still found.
Although now located in Richmond, Borough Cemetery serves the people of Hounslow and is the borough's largest cemetery. It has a modest brick lodge at the entrance, which has brick gate piers and iron gates. The cemetery is laid out with tarmac roadways and curving paths, the graves set in grass, and numerous conifers such as cypress planted throughout and along edges of paths and roadways. The fence between the cemetery and adjacent Heathfields Recreation Ground is thickly planted with cypress, with shrubbery on the cemetery side, and an avenue of trees on the recreation ground side, which is marked Coronation Avenue. An intermittent line of cypresses is along the end boundary fence to open land. A number of the tombs exhibit a similar design of miniature formal gardens, with entrances and winding paths, possibly the work of a local mason.
