Home

The Secret Cemetery

A Guide to the Burial Ground of the English Canonesses  of the Holy Sepulchre in the parishes of Boreham & Springfield, Chelmsford

Dr Hannah Thomas

Cemeteries are so much more than a place for burials, and the burial ground of the English canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre in Chelmsford is certainly no exception.  Created in 1799, it is thought to be the  oldest Catholic cemetery in continuous use in England.  

The physical location of the cemetery, tucked away in the distant corner, echoes the need for secrecy which was necessary in this period.  In the 1790's, Catholicism was still illegal and Catholics could not vote or sit in Parliament. Specifically Catholic burial grounds were only legally allowed after 1847.  Richly illustrated, this book reveals the hitherto unknown history of this unique cemetery.

978 085244 910 3                144pp             

Col Illus        £25.00