180th Event – Structure and History Walk

At 1.50pm was the first walk Guided by Mr Graham Linecar. Before setting off, an explanation of the national importance of the Old Cemetery as an early example of a municipal cemetery where the original structures survive, and ‘scene setting’ about Southampton in the 1840s. We looked at the approach road from The Avenue, the Main Gate and Lodge. From the yew tree path, we looked at a section of what we think is the original iron railings on a dwarf brick wall on the 1840s boundary with The Common, and the race course. We looked at the Anglican chapel, and the carved stone heads under the eaves. We walked along the main cross-carriageway and noted the sweep to the doors of each chapel. We looked across the valley talking about the landform before the cemetery and looked at the Louden-inspired planting. We walked to the main spine path and talked about the drainage. Then we went to the Hill Lane gate to see the brick and stone boundary wall – more substantial than the railings on The Common boundary. We ended at the Dissenters’ chapel. We acknowledged what we owe to two Southampton family businesses, the Doswell’s, surveyors, who superintended construction of the Cemetery and the Rogers, who ran the Red Lodge nursery, who prepared the amended design, landscaping and planting in the Louden ‘gardenesque’ style.

Photos taken by Bruce Larner