A Visit to The Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey

Each tombstone, each burial ground, is an epitome of a memory. Such a place is not normally associated with picnics or a tour. When you think of the UK, not many would fancy a spot like a cemetery to be in the travel itinerary. The country has innumerable world-class tourist attractions. Millions of tourists who visit the UK regularly also visit these places. At the same time, the government also has less popular yet historically significant spots like Brookwood Cemetery that attract a few. My brother and his in-laws chose to visit the Brookwood Cemetery. Since it happened to be a cramped trip, they were bereft of ample time to explore much of the cemetery. The images are shared by them. The obvious question that surfaces now is, what is so special about the Brookwood Cemetery?

History of Brookwood Cemetery

Back in those days, the growing population of the living and the dead in London turned out to be a huge problem for the local authorities. The Brookwood Cemetery was the solution conceived by the London Necropolis Company in 1849. Initial works began on an area of 350 acres at Brookwood in 1852. Different architects worked to design and landscape the entire area for years. As per their plans, the whole area was divided by paths and avenues and included chapels and prayer stations. Partitions and enclosures were constructed to separate and allocate space for different parishes in London.

Normally, you associate a burial ground with a particular sect of religion or faith. However, owing to geographical and prevailing conditions, the authorities convened to take a diverse move. Thus, different religious denominations and faiths were also accommodated. Now, that is one of the distinctive aspects of Brookwood Cemetery. Currently, the cemetery is owned by Woking Borough Council.

Diversity of the Brookwood Cemetery

One of the key aspects that differentiates and attracts visitors to the Brookwood Cemetery is its diversity of burial grounds. There are sections of burial grounds opened for the Muslim, Zoroastrian, and other sects. Similarly, there are specific areas for the Anglican section, the Non-Conformists, the Serbians, the Swedes, the Latvians, the Italians, and so on. The convergence of different religious, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds becomes evident in their expression of epitaphs on each tombstone. Not just in terms of the language on them, even the numerical dates are followed by different calendars like Georgian, Arabic, Etc.

Can you imagine that it is a burial ground of around 240,000 bodies? Of these, there are many graves of people who either came from or spent a significant part of their lives in South Asia. As an Indian, what arouses my curiosity is the Indian lineage in the cemetery.

Indian Connection

For anyone of Asian origin, particularly with an Indian connection, Brookwood Cemetery can evoke a peculiar bond. Even before the birth of independent India, several eminent personalities of ‘Indian’ origin were buried here. Among them, members of the Tata family, Jamsetji Tata (1839-1904), Ratam Tata (1871-1918), and Sir Dorabji Tata (1859-1932) bear high esteem. Other significant mausoleums in the cemetery include that of Nowrosjee Wadia (1849-1899), Sir Mancherjee Merwanjee Bhownaggree (1851-1933). Sheik Nubie (1860-1895) and many others of Indian origin have their mortal remains buried here.

It would be a highly satisfying and enriching experience to explore different areas of the cemetery. Since the entire stretch of landscape is beautifully planned and dotted with greenery, you would hardly think you are in a cemetery.

Other Highlights

Brookwood Cemetery is a beautiful Grade 1 listed site in the register of Historic Parks and Gardens. It is open 365 days of the year, allowing you to take a tour. And take note of the visiting hours: 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM. The Brookwood Cemetery Society runs guided walking tours, private tours, and events. ‘Necropolis Railway’ ran straight from London Waterloo to the cemetery until the 1940s.

Signboards and maps guide you to different parts of the cemetery. The cemetery is recognised with great value as a cultural, architectural, and historical record for many nations. It is a final resting place of the highest concentration of minority burial grounds in the UK. Dodi Fayed (1955-1997), friend of Princess Diana, was initially buried here. The graves of the widow of the Captain of the Titanic and the painter John Singer Sergeant are here. There is a designated area for the Military Cemeteries operated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It is the only American military cemetery of WWI in the UK.

How to get there?

Brookwood Cemetery is about 4 miles west of Woking in Surrey. The cemetery is well connected by public transport. And if you are traveling by private vehicles, you can drive straight in. Brookwood railway station is served by South West Trains’ services from London Waterloo. Surrey is sandwiched between Heathrow and Gatwick airports.

Beyond the gloom and melancholy of death, the Brookwood Cemetery blooms with an atmosphere of hope and serenity. Adding more charm to it are the green pastures and chirping birds. The next time, when you are in London, it is one place you could add to your tour itinerary and spend a memorable day.