Ryde Cemetery
Ryde Cemetery, on West Street, was originally established on one acre of land given by George Player to the parish of Newchurch as a detached churchyard for St. Thomas' Church.
In 1860 the town commissioners established the Ryde Burial Board which took over the churchyard which became Ryde Cemetery.
The cemetery was extended by the purchase of a further four acres from the Player estate. Following the purchase of this land, the central driveway were laid out and the two chapels, with a central driveway, were constructed.
The cemetery was further extended in 1881 following a further purchase of land from the Player estate - this took the area up to Pellhurst Road and completes the cemetery area as seen today (2019).
The administration of Ryde Cemetery was taken over by the Ryde Borough Council; later, following local government changes in 1974, it came under Medina Borough Council until 1995 when it was taken over by the Isle of Wight Council following the creation of the IW Unitary Authority.
In 2010 restoration work was carried out by the IW Council with Heritage Lottery Funding and this included the creation of a Heritage and Learning Centre in the two central chapels.
The Ryde Social Heritage Group (RSHG) is based at the cemetery and offer education etc of the cemetery and Ryde. Their website includes much useful information including details of burial, often with pictures graves and details of memorial inscriptions.
The RSHG website also include details of burials at other local cemeteries (Ashey and Binstead) and churchyards (Holy Cross Church, Binstead and St John's Church, Ryde).
Other resources:
