Fulham Cemetery

Fulham Cemetery is a Victorian municipal burial ground in west London, in the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, just off Fulham Palace Road. It is also called Fulham Old Cemetery and Fulham Palace Road Cemetery. It opened in 1865 and remains the oldest cemetery in the borough. Covering nearly 13 acres and closed to new burials, it is a quiet green pocket among the surrounding streets.

How do I get to Fulham Cemetery?

The nearest London Underground station is Barons Court. The cemetery sits on Fulham Palace Road, so the approach from the station is straightforward. It is not a ticketed attraction, so there is nothing to book. As in any burial ground, keep noise down and be respectful of graves and mourners.

How did the cemetery begin?

The Fulham Burial Board, acting for the parish, established it in 1865. As London grew through the nineteenth century, old churchyards ran out of room, and parishes created larger shared cemeteries at the edge of built-up areas. Fulham's was extended in 1874 and again in 1880. By around 1908 it was filling up, and North Sheen Cemetery was opened to serve the parish.

Sources disagree on who designed it: some credit the architect John Hall, while the London Gardens Trust inventory names Sir Arthur Blomfield. The attribution is therefore unsettled.

What is there to see?

According to the London Gardens Trust record, the grounds include an entrance lodge and two Gothic-style chapels. This is a classic Victorian cemetery layout: a gatehouse, chapels and paths running between rows of graves. A visit is short and calm, and it fits easily into a day exploring west London.

Who is buried here?

This is not a cemetery known for a long roll of celebrities. Lieutenant-General Sir Burke Douglas Cuppage (1794-1877), Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey from 1863 to 1868, is buried here. Another notable grave belongs to a couple who died within an hour of each other in 1881.

War graves

The site is also cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, listed as Fulham Palace Road Cemetery. It holds 238 Commonwealth service personnel, including 179 from the First World War and 57 from the Second World War. For visitors interested in twentieth-century history, it is a modest but meaningful place of remembrance.

Frequently asked questions

Can people still be buried here? No, the cemetery is closed to new burials.

Which is the oldest cemetery in Hammersmith and Fulham? Fulham Cemetery, which opened in 1865.

Is it the same as the Fulham Road Jewish Cemetery? No, that is a separate site in a different London borough.

How big is it? Nearly 13 acres, roughly five hectares.

Which Tube station is closest? Barons Court.