Southam Road Cemetery (Southam Road OX16 2EW) 

The first burial took place on 27th March 1858 (Mary Turner, aged 9 months). Since then, thousands of burials have taken place, with more than 16,000 graves occupying an area of approximately 8.5 hectares (21 acres).

There is an ‘old’ section, consisting of burials from 1858 up until about the early sixties, ‘lawned’ sections, children sections, cremated remains sections and a traditionally maintained Commonwealth War Graves Commission site.

Apart from many memorials of historic and architectural interest provided over the years by many of Banbury’s prominent families, the cemetery has also benefited from the judicious planting of many fine specimen trees.

This all contributes towards giving Southam Road Cemetery a unique atmosphere and feel, seldom found in the more modern (and mainly lawned) cemeteries. 

Map of Southam Road Cemetery 

 

In addition to a fine old Victorian Cemetery Superintendent’s Lodge (with 48 graves in the garden!) and the site of the old mortuary chapel, there are many instances of fine Gothic and other period architecture.

These include a number of smaller copies of the well known ‘Banbury Cross’, the best of these being the vaulted York Stone 'Ball Memorial'. This is close to the site of the old mortuary chapel and its maintenance is conditionally tied in perpetuity to the People’s Park in Banbury. The park, near to the main ‘Banbury Cross’ in the centre of town, was given to the people of Banbury on condition that the Ball Memorial is maintained in good condition in perpetuity.

The cemetery no longer has space for new burials, however if space permits, families with existing graves can still proceed with burials or the interment of ashes. 

There is space available in the cremated remains (ashes) section, and also a Columbarium has been built within this area to offer an alternative resting place for ashes.