The Parish Cemetery
The current cemetery for the combined Parish of Wonersh with Blackheath

The parish cemetery lies in a secluded location midway between Wonersh and Blackheath between Barnett and Derry’s Hills.
 
Administration of the records and burial registers, including initial liaison with funeral directors is undertaken by the Parish Administrator. Maintenance of the Cemetery is the responsibility of the PCC and is looked after by St John the Baptist Buildings Committee. The Cemetery Chapel was repaired and redecorated by a group of volunteers in 2005 and fencing renewed in 2006. 

Burials are governed by the CofE Churchyard Regulations. For historical reasons there are also burial rights for some people from Chilworth and Bramley.

The churchyard at St John the Baptist for the Parish of Wonersh was closed for burials in 1861, and a new churchyard opened at Shamley Green the same year. On becoming an ecclesiastical parish in its own right the Shamley Green Registers begin in 1881, however the Wonersh Registers appear to cover both parishes until 1881 and then continue to 1900 even though burials took place at Shamley Green. Blackheath has maintained its own Registers since it became a District; however burials took place together with those of Wonersh in this cemetery.

It continued as the churchyard for Wonersh until 1900 when the new site was donated by Mrs Sudbury. It was licensed by the Bishop of Winchester on 1st Feb 1900 and the first burial was of Joseph Clarke on 15th July that year. 

The year 1893 saw the opening of St Martin’s Blackheath within the parish of Wonersh and the cemetery was used by both churches over the last century.

The Chapel was built in 1900 as a gift of Mr Henry Prescott, however it was not dedicated until 19 years later by the Bishop of Guildford, and dedicated “All Souls”. It is not often used. 

Records of burials in the cemetery are kept, and Burials 1900-1950 are shown on this website. A full up-to-date list of graves and a plan with plot numbers is held in the Wonersh church office.

There are three CWGC graves for which the Commonwealth War Graves Commission provides maintenance support: for the graves of CPO Thomas Bramble, Marine Frederick Balchin and Private Wilfred Covey.

In 1933 additional land was donated by Mrs Beatrice Cook of Barnett Hill as an extension to the cemetery and The Beatrice Elliott Cook Trust was established at this time to facilitate work on the extension to bring it into use at the appropriate time. 

In 2001 additional land adjacent to the extension was conveyed from the estate of the late Cdr Varley RN. A bequest was also made, intended originally as a memorial to his Aunt, Mrs Frances Steward, daughter of Beatrice Cook.

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