Lodge Hill Cemetery

Lodge Hill Cemetery is a municipal cemetery and crematorium in Selly Oak, in the south-west of Birmingham, England. It is both a working funerary site and a green space that records local history, which makes it of interest to anyone curious about the city's past, family history research or British remembrance culture.

How did Lodge Hill Cemetery begin?

The cemetery was opened in 1895 by King's Norton Rural District Council. It was consecrated the following year by the Bishop of Worcester and Coventry at the time, John Perowne. In 1911, when the neighbouring King's Norton and Northfield Urban District was absorbed into Birmingham, the cemetery passed to the care of Birmingham Corporation. It has been a municipal site ever since.

Birmingham's first municipal crematorium

During the 1930s the grounds became home to Birmingham's first municipal crematorium. Sources differ on the exact opening date: some point to the mid-1930s, others to 1937. The building was extended in 1959. The crematorium still operates today, and the site also includes Acorn Hollow, a memorial garden for babies and children.

What is there to see?

The cemetery was laid out with separate sections for Anglicans, Catholics and Nonconformists. A distinct area was set aside for the Society of Friends, or Quakers, and it holds members of well-known Birmingham Quaker families, including the Lloyds and the Cadburys. It is a quiet reminder of the part these families played in the city's story.

Lodge Hill also contains a large number of war graves from both the First and Second World Wars, including servicemen who died in local hospitals. The graves show how the wars touched everyday life in British cities.

The grounds cover about 61 acres, or roughly 25 hectares. It is a large, wooded space where an unhurried walk reveals how Victorian municipal cemeteries were planned, with their paths and denominational sections.

Practical information

According to the council's information, no new graves are available, so the cemetery is closed to new burials, while the crematorium remains in use. Because it is a place of active mourning, visitors should be considerate: keep away from the chapel during services, avoid photographing mourners and keep noise to a minimum. Selly Oak is reachable by public transport from central Birmingham, and the cemetery lies a short distance beyond.

Those tracing ancestors can use the burial records kept by Birmingham City Council's Bereavement Services.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Lodge Hill Cemetery? In Selly Oak, Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England.

When did the cemetery open? In 1895, and it was consecrated a year later.

Is the cemetery still in use? New graves are no longer available, but the crematorium continues to operate.

Are there war graves? Yes, a large number from both World Wars.

Can I research family history here? Yes, Birmingham's municipal burial records are a useful starting point.

Is there a Quaker section? Yes, an area for the Society of Friends, where members of the Lloyd and Cadbury families are buried.