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It was in January 1884, that the Ash Vestry, who dealt with local affairs before Ash Parish Council came into existence, first discussed the purchase part of a field near St Peter’s Church for use as a burial ground. The field was identified using the Ordnance Survey map as field number 379, and 1 acre 2 rods and 4 perches of it were to become what are now sections A to F of the cemetery.
On 29 October 1886 a Burial Board was appointed. The notices summoning members to the first meeting read as follows: Sir. We hereby summon a meeting of the Burial Board of the Parish of Ash (exclusive of the Ecclesiastical District of Wyke) in the County of Surrey, to be held at the School Room, Ash, on Friday the 19th day of November instant, at 4.30 o’clock in the afternoon, for the purpose of appointing a Chairman and the necessary officers of the Board, and for taking the necessary steps to provide a new Burial Ground, and determining upon the site therof, and for the purpose of transacting such other business as the Board may deem advisable. The Reverend Walsh was elected Chairman, and the other members were Reverend George Moss (Buried in B176), John Bridges Walker (retired Lt Col in HM Army), James McLaren (B175), John Woollard (C314), Frederick Hammersley (Churchyard) and William Bateman (Churchyard). The purchase of the land was completed in 1887 at a cost of £152 10s. Following this, a great deal of work went into planning the clearing of the land, fencing, marking into sections, making of footpaths and planting hedges, trees and shrubs. All this work together with the building of chapel raised the total expenditure to £970, for which a loan was obtained from an Insurance Company. The sexton of St Peters Church Mr George Manfield (D723) became the first gravedigger at a salary of £10 a year. The Board drew up a scale of fees, and Mr Manfield collected them. At a parish meeting in June 1913, it was unanimously agreed to borrow the money to purchase a further 4 acres 2 rods 19 perches of land to enlarge the cemetery. This land was being farmed by Mr Hogsflesh (D534b) at the time, and cost £225. Half way along the west side of St Peter’s church yard is a very ancient path, the route taken to church in centuries past by parishioners from the northern end of Ash parish and by those who lived in Frimley. Church Path has been diverted is some places, such as around the edge of the playing field of Ash Grange Primary School and across the railway, but its course across the cemetery and approaching the roundabout at Ash Wharf remains as it always was.
The burial of Henry Murrell near the Cemetery Chapel in 1928 (D531a).
Audio Tour - Ash Cemetery and Churchyard Trail Copies of Ash Museum's "Ash Cemetery and Churchyard Trail" booklet are on sale in the Museum. |
