The day when Preston closed its graveyards for the very last time

The second day of July will mark the 170th anniversary of the opening of the Preston Cemetery in 1855, and a glimpse at Victorian life at that time explains the reasons for its necessity.

- writes Keith Johnson.

In the middle of the 19th century the residents of Preston and indeed in all the towns and cities in the country, were becoming concerned about the number of graveyards that had developed within their midst. Many a church or chapel had thought it pleasing to bury their loved one’s close to where they had worshipped but concern often grew, especially at times of fever or pestilence.

In Preston the spotlight fell on St. Paul's burial ground that was used to bury the poor in open graves designed to take some 25 coffins. One campaigner wrote to the 'Preston Guardian' in 1849 voicing his concerns. By his calculation over 40 coffins had been crammed into one of the open graves and the final coffins were barely under the surface. He claimed that the stench was so great that when the wind was in a westerly direction, he had been compelled to keep the doors and windows of his nearby dwelling closed.

His hope was that soon the remains of rich and poor alike would be deposited together in an open cemetery at a distance from the town.

There were similar complaints expressed by those who dwelt close to St. Wilfrid's graveyard with one correspondent remarking thus: "A strong noxious smell often arises and I am consequently obliged to breathe in the poisonous air, which has been known to leave me feeling unwell."