The current cemetery for the combined parish lies in a quiet and secluded location midway between Wonersh and Blackheath, situated between Barnett and Derry’s Hills.
Administration
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Burial records and liaison with funeral directors are managed by the Parish Administrator.
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Grounds maintenance is overseen by the PCC, with practical care provided by the St John the Baptist Buildings Committee.
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The Cemetery Chapel was refurbished in 2005 by a team of volunteers. Fencing was renewed in 2006.
Burial Regulations and Access
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Burials are governed by the Church of England Churchyard Regulations.
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Owing to historical ties, burial rights also extend to certain individuals from Chilworth and Bramley.
Historical Overview
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1861: The churchyard at St John the Baptist, Wonersh, was closed for burials. A new churchyard opened at Shamley Green the same year.
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1881: Shamley Green became an ecclesiastical parish with its own registers, though Wonersh registers continued to record burials until 1900.
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1893: St Martin’s Blackheath opened, and its parishioners also used the cemetery.
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1900: The current cemetery site was donated by Mrs Sudbury, licensed by the Bishop of Winchester on 1 February 1900, with the first burial (Joseph Clarke) on 15 July 1900.
Cemetery Chapel
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Gifted by Mr Henry Prescott and built in 1900.
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Not formally dedicated until 1919, when it was consecrated as “All Souls Chapel” by the Bishop of Guildford.
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The chapel remains largely unused today but stands as a quiet focal point within the grounds.
Burial Records and War Graves
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Burial records from 1900 to 1950 are available on this website.
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A full, up-to-date list of graves, along with a detailed cemetery plan with plot numbers, is held in the Wonersh Church Office.
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Three Commonwealth War Graves are located here, maintained with support from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, for:
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CPO Thomas Bramble
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Marine Frederick Balchin
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Private Wilfred Covey
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Extensions
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1933: Additional land was donated by Mrs Beatrice Cook of Barnett Hill, and the Beatrice Elliott Cook Trust was established to support future development.
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2001: Further land was conveyed from the estate of the late Commander Varley RN, along with a bequest intended as a memorial to his aunt, Mrs Frances Steward, daughter of Beatrice Cook.