Hop Store Cemetery

Hop Store Cemetery is a small First World War cemetery located about 5.5 km west of the centre of Ypres (Ieper), on Casselsestraat, a side road off the N308 Poperingseweg connecting Ypres to Poperinge. The cemetery takes its name from a former hop store building that stood on the old Vlamertinghe–Poperinghe road, still visible today alongside the main road.

Where does the name come from?

During the war, the hop store building was used by field ambulance units as a dressing station and casualty evacuation point. The surrounding land lay several kilometres behind the front line, out of range of German artillery, while also sitting on the main road and rail route linking Poperinge with the French border — making it a practical site for a casualty clearing station.

When was the cemetery established?

The cemetery was opened in May 1915, during the Second Battle of Ypres. It stood on the safer side of the village, but its footprint remained small because of its position squeezed between a hedge and the hop store premises themselves. The ground was low-lying and marshy, particularly at its western end, so early in 1917 it was drained by the Royal Engineers.

How many burials are there?

Hop Store Cemetery now contains 251 First World War burials. The great majority date from 1915 and 1917 — the periods of the heaviest fighting nearby during the Second and Third Battles of Ypres. The relatively small number of burials from other years of the war reflects the cemetery's role as a resting place chiefly for men who died of wounds after being brought back from the front, rather than for those killed in action.

Who designed the cemetery?

The cemetery's layout was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield, one of the principal architects appointed by the Imperial War Graves Commission (today's Commonwealth War Graves Commission) to design cemeteries along the Western Front. Blomfield is also credited with the design of the Cross of Sacrifice, a feature found at most CWGC cemeteries.

How do you get there?

The cemetery lies on Casselsestraat, a turning off the N308 Poperingseweg just past the village of Vlamertinge, travelling from Ypres. The cemetery itself is about 100 metres along this turning, on the right-hand side. Wheelchair access is possible, though difficult, due to the lie of the land.

Frequently asked questions

Does the hop store building that gave the cemetery its name still exist? Yes, the old hop store building on the main road is still visible at this location.

Why is the cemetery so small compared to others around Ypres? Its size was limited from the outset by its position, squeezed between a hedge and the buildings of the hop store itself.

Which years account for most of the burials? Almost all burials date from 1915 and 1917, corresponding to the periods of heaviest fighting in the Ypres area.

Was the site ever drained? Yes — the ground, especially at its western end, was low and marshy, so it was drained by the Royal Engineers early in 1917.