Western Synagogue Cemetery

The area was once known as Marsh Side due to its location by Edmonton marshes on the banks of the Lea, and later became known as Jeremy's Green Lane before being renamed Montagu Road after Samuel Montagu who owned the land. A wealthy banker, philanthropist and MP, Montagu was a key instigator in establishing the Federation of Synagogues in 1887. The site of the three cemeteries was probably within the farmland of Polehouse Farm in the Manor of Polehouse, which was owned by the Chapter of St Paul's in 1412. In 1872 ownership passed to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. The Western Synagogue was established in 1761 and opened its cemetery in Montagu Road in the late C19th. The opening date is unclear; although some sources give this as 1884, the International Jewish Cemetery Project dates this cemetery later than the adjoining Edmonton Federation Cemetery, which was opened in 1889 by the Federation of Synagogues, who initially owned the land used for the Western Synagogue Cemetery site. However, other sources give the date of the latter as the later to open, the land donated by the banker Samuel Montagu. The main Western Cemetery is now in Cheshunt. In 1991 the Western Marble Arch Synagogue was set up as successor to the Western Synagogue and Marble Arch Synagogues, and now holds this cemetery's records at the synagogue at 32 Great Cumberland Place (q.v.).

The cemetery is entered through 2 sets of quite ornamental iron gates in a brick wall leading into a gravelled driveway with some well-kept shrub planting/oblong formal bed in front of a square brick building that bears the only indication of the name of the cemetery on a plaque inscribed: Cemetery of the Western Synagogue. Behind this building is a concrete path leads through the graves, flanked by a series of neatly pruned laurel bushes, then small conifers; turning left it becomes a neat gravelled path, with a small area of seating some way along this. There are no buildings, and few other paths between the graves. The cemetery is divided from the Edmonton Federation Cemetery (q.v.), which it abuts on two sides, by chainlink fencing with a small amount of shrubbery/small trees for a short way; a single tree marks one corner. A high wall divides the cemetery from the public path that runs beyond the southern boundary between Montagu Road and Plevna Road.