Shalford cemetery
Mr U&L and I had to go to Woking to pick up an ebay purchase for Juby and on the way back we stopped at this rather lovely cemetery in Shalford. According to the net: -
Shalford cemetery and the cemetery chapel came into use in 1887 after several years of planning , following a decision in 1880 that the churchyard at St Mary’s Church was full. The cemetery and the chapel are located on land known as the Kiln Field purchased from the Godwin-Austen Estate for £555. In 1885 the architects Peak, Lunn and Peak of Guildford were instructed to draw up plans for the cemetery site and the chapel. The builders Mitchell Brothers of Shalford were engaged to bring the project to fruition. The budget of the Burial Board was £1700 and without the support of John Thomson Renton of Bradstone Brook, the wealthiest man in the parish, the cemetery and chapel would not have come into being at that time. The total cost of the project was £2,776 and 17 shillings, the shortfall being met by Mr Renton. Since then the cemetery and chapel have served the parish of Shalford well, still providing a place of rest for local people today. The cemetery chapel was little used by the early 1970’s and fell into a state of disrepair. However the unique style and character of the building means that it has merited a Grade 2 listing and as its custodians the Parish Council are responsible for the upkeep of this local landmark. In this Jubilee year 125 years after it was first opened the Parish Council propose to bring the chapel back to life by embarking on a restoration project to provide a Parish Council office and a meeting place for the local community.
Such an interesting place.
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