Packhorse Farm Shrine Cemetery

Packhorse Farm Shrine Cemetery is a small First World War cemetery located in Wulvergem, part of the municipality of Heuvelland, roughly 9.5 km southwest of Ieper town centre. It sits along a road running from Kemmelseweg (N331), which connects Ieper to Kemmel and onward to Nieuwkerke — specifically 250 metres along Lindestraat, on the right-hand side of the road.

Where does the name come from?

The cemetery takes its name from Packhorse Farm, a farm that once stood on the east side of the most direct road linking Lindenhoek and Wulverghem (today's Wulvergem). A short distance south of the farm stood a wayside shrine, which was later rebuilt closer to the farm itself. The combination of the farm and the nearby shrine gave the cemetery its distinctive two-part name.

The cemetery's history

The cemetery was established by the 46th (North Midland) Division, a British territorial formation that occupied this sector of the front in the early summer of 1915. It was one of two cemeteries created by this division in the area. Packhorse Farm Shrine Cemetery was in use for only a brief period — from April to June 1915 — which makes it relatively small compared to larger Western Front cemeteries that remained active throughout the entire war.

The area around Wulvergem played a notable role in the fighting along this stretch of the Flanders front. The village itself, then recorded as Wulverghem, was the site of a German gas attack on the night of 29–30 April 1916. The attack was repulsed by the British 3rd and 24th Divisions, illustrating how intense the fighting in this area remained for years after the cemetery itself had stopped receiving new burials.

Who designed the cemetery?

The cemetery was designed by W. H. Cowlishaw, an architect who worked with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the layout and design of war cemeteries across Flanders. Cowlishaw was responsible for the spatial arrangement and the quiet, restrained character typical of smaller CWGC cemeteries — rows of white headstones set within neatly maintained lawns, framed by modest architectural features.

How many burials are there?

The cemetery contains 59 First World War burials. This is a figure typical of smaller battlefield cemeteries established directly by military units near the front line, in contrast to the large concentration cemeteries created after the war through the exhumation and reburial of casualties from numerous smaller burial sites.

Frequently asked questions

Where exactly is the cemetery located? In Wulvergem, in the municipality of Heuvelland in the province of West Flanders, along Lindestraat, near the Kemmelseweg (N331) road connecting Ieper and Kemmel.

When was the cemetery established? It was founded and used between April and June 1915 by the 46th (North Midland) Division.

How many graves does the cemetery contain? The cemetery holds 59 First World War burials.

Who designed the cemetery? The design was the work of W. H. Cowlishaw, working with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Did other significant wartime events occur nearby? Yes — on the night of 29–30 April 1916, a German gas attack took place near Wulverghem and was repulsed by the British 3rd and 24th Divisions.