Southgate Cemetery

Southgate Cemetery is a Victorian-era burial ground on Waterfall Road in Southgate, north London. It is managed by the London Borough of Enfield and is also known as Old Southgate Cemetery or Edmonton and Southgate Cemetery. It is a quiet place for a short, reflective walk, and a small piece of local and national history.

What is Southgate Cemetery?

The cemetery was established in 1880 by the Southgate Burial Board, the local body created to provide burial space for the growing parish. Today it remains an active municipal cemetery under Enfield Council. Its official address is 175 Waterfall Road, Southgate, N14 7JZ.

What does it look like?

The layout is orderly and typical of its period. Paths run in a gridiron pattern, and the graves stand in neat rows. The planting is mature, with cedars, laurel and yews giving shade and structure through the year. Just inside the entrance, to the right, stands a small rustic lodge, built in 1953.

There is no chapel on the grounds. Christ Church, Southgate, a Church of England church, stands directly opposite, on the other side of Waterfall Road, and the two sites are naturally associated with each other.

Who is buried here?

The cemetery includes the graves of several people with a place in British public life:

• Mary Jane Clarke, a suffragette.
• Gerald Massey, an author.
• William Samuel Glyn-Jones, a politician and pharmacist.
• Herbie Roberts, a professional footballer who played for Arsenal.
• George Albert Watts, a former mayor of St Pancras.
• Lionel Keir Robinson, CBE, MC.

This is a selection and not a complete list. Wikipedia keeps a fuller record of notable burials.

Are there war graves?

Yes. The cemetery contains the war graves of 92 Commonwealth service personnel: 20 from World War I and 72 from World War II. These graves are maintained as part of the Commonwealth war grave record. Visitors with an interest in military history will find them among the ordinary rows of burials.

Practical tips for visitors

• The cemetery is a working place of remembrance. Keep voices low, stay on the paths and respect any ongoing funerals or family visits.
• Look at the older headstones and the mature trees. The setting rewards a slow walk more than a quick pass.
• Pair the visit with a look at Christ Church across the road.
• For burial enquiries, opening hours or the availability of plots, contact Enfield Council. Their cemeteries service holds the current information.

Frequently asked questions

When did Southgate Cemetery open? It was established in 1880 by the Southgate Burial Board.

Who runs it? The London Borough of Enfield.

Is there a chapel? No. The nearest church is Christ Church, Southgate, directly across Waterfall Road.

Are there war graves? Yes, 92 in total: 20 from the First World War and 72 from the Second World War.

Is it still used for burials? It is an active council cemetery. Availability of plots should be confirmed with Enfield Council, as the types of grave on offer can change.

Where is it? On Waterfall Road in Southgate, in the north of London.