Wisbech General Cemetery Pocket Park

This relatively small cemetery is unusual because it is an example of a non-denominational burial site established within a town centre during the Victorian period. It was used most frequently during the 1800s, but it was used for burials into the 1960s and eventually closed in 1972.

It was established in response to the churchyard of the parish church becoming overcrowded, and this generated fears of threats to health amongst the populace. The impressive mortuary chapel on the site was erected in 1948 and was used for funeral services for those who would not wish to, or be able to, access church services elsewhere.

A larger, more formal cemetery was established at Mount Pleasant in 1881, and between 1960 and 1969 it is reported that only 6 burials took place. After closure by the local authority, it rapidly became overgrown and the mortuary chapel started to attract vandalism.

The local council had planned to take the roof off the mortuary chapel for "safety" reasons and eventually to demolish the chapel. This was opposed by the Wisbech Society which formed a sub-group called the Friends of Wisbech Cemetery. Their volunteers took on responsibility for maintaining the graveyard both for the benefit of the flora and fauna and also for the descendants of those buried there. Thus this area has become a wildlife haven in the middle of the town. Given that it is only 3 acres in area, the group adopted the term "pocket park". Descendants of those interred here are allowed to maintain the graves directly, but the areas in between are left wild except for the very few footpaths.

The mortuary chapel has been restored, utilising £303,800 of Heritage Lottery funding, and the roof is now intact and the interior is restored. Recently it has been used as an unusual wedding venue.

In recent years, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has started to take an interest in the graves of 10 WW1 soldiers who died in service in the UK (previously their graves were unmarked) and a WW2 pilot killed in action. New headstones have been installed.