South Ealing Cemetery’s buried secrets are brought to life

Designed by local architect Charles Jones in 1861, the chapels have been out of use for 10 years

This 21-acre cemetery on the boundary of Ealing and Hounslow is being reimagined as a unique leisure space for residents

If you think hanging out in a graveyard is creepy, then think again. South Ealing Cemetery – formerly known as Ealing and Old Brentford Cemetery – is one of the borough’s most exciting green spaces to get a makeover.

Back in 2024, Ealing Council transformed a golf course into a 49-acre park, but they also entered into a less widely reported collaboration with the charity Ealing Parks Foundation (EPF) to reimagine a 156-year-old cemetery in South Ealing Road into a community space.

Projects such as these are part of Ealing’s long-term strategy to boost biodiversity in urban areas and provide more usable green space for its residents. They also showcase how important the work of friends groups and charities can be in delivering these innovative ideas.

The history of occupants in the cemetery has been researched by EPF volunteers

A significant funding bid

This month, the cemetery project is being taken to the next level as the team at EPF put the final details together for a significant funding bid.

Before residents recoil in horror at cobwebby tombstones and a thriving bat population, they should know that the broad-based plans for the site are all very respectful and most locals have agreed that these picturesque graveyards are the perfect place for improving mental well-being.

The cemetery will not lose sight of its original purpose as a resting place for the dignitaries of Brentford as well as the founders of its football club, many of whom are buried here.

There is even a proposal for a football-based walking trail – still in discussion with Brentford Supporters Club – that reinforces the charity’s belief that green spaces are for everyone – not just birders and volunteer gardeners.

The grand Gothic-style entrance to South Ealing Cemetery

The Grade-II Listed buildings lend themselves to community spaces

Interestingly, Brentford’s elite citizens created for themselves quite a grand Gothic-style entrance for their cemetery which features a central porte-cochère with clock and belfry, flanked by a south chapel (Church of England) and a north chapel (Non-conformist), constructed of ragstone with limestone dressings.

A key aim of the project is to save these Grade-II Listed chapels, which are on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register, and put these at the centre of a wider strategy to open up the cemetery to residents.

“Our hope is to bring the chapels back as community spaces,” says co-chair of the Ealing Parks Foundation, Paul Carter. “The Grade-II Listed buildings lend themselves to workshops, exhibitions, music recitals and more.”

To that end, volunteers have already been carrying out basic maintenance including the restoration of electricity and the servicing of the clock and its pulley system.

At the end of August, Ealing Parks Foundation will submit a funding bid to Historic England after working closely with architects, council surveyors and community groups to create a proposal for phase one of renovating the historic chapels. Ealing Council has also committed to contribute.

The formerly dark and forbidding main avenue has now been transformed

Improved sightlines

A lot of work has already been done on the grounds, which featured dark foliage and hidden areas that had, in recent years, made the cemetery a magnet for drinkers and drug dealers.

“The first priority was to make the space safe and welcoming,”  says Paul. “Our early work was about improving sightlines and crown-lifting trees and shrubs, rendering it hard for visitors to get up to anything nefarious.

“The main avenue had huge yew trees and we’ve reduced their height, but without losing the higgledy piggledy nature of the cemetery or its wildness.”

From the beginning, Ealing Parks Foundation has always run regular volunteer sessions to maintain the grounds, which are posted in advance on their website.

READ MORE: For information on upcoming events, click here.

Selected memorials have been cleaned

Expert help on making memorials safe

Starting in the Victorian section (at the South Ealing Road entrance), residents have planted bulbs and sown wildflower seeds, cleaned bird boxes and installed new ones, cut back vegetation and cleaned selected memorials after researching the history of the occupants.

Volunteers have even enjoyed a training session from the Habitats and Heritage charity on how to assess the condition and safety of memorials.

“Any site maintenance that requires heavy machinery, the council will do,” explains Paul. “It has definitely been a co-operative initiative.”

Biodiversity has been boosted in the oldest part of the cemetery

Butterflies and bugs are now thriving

Two years into the project, the results are inspiring. After EPF initiated a new mowing regime that allowed the old cemetery to retain its long grass and wildflowers, participants at a butterfly event recorded how much more biodiverse the historic area is than the new cemetery where the grass is cut short.

To offer the public an insight into their work, EPF is holding three guided walks as part of London Open House on Sunday 20 September that will allow visitors to connect with heritage or nature.

READ MORE: Book tickets for London Open House tours here.

To coincide with Ealing Climate Week (19 to 27 September), EPF will also be holding two planting days on 22 and 23 September where volunteers can learn about drought-tolerant plants and participate in the creation of new climate-resilient schemes for the front beds and the war memorial.

READ MORE: about the 2026 programme for Ealing Climate Week.

Participants in a bat walk, led by Sean McCormack, enjoy tracking the mammals with detectors

Bats are the celebrities of the cemetery

Previous walks have been very successful with a guided bat walk by Dr Sean McCormack of the Ealing Wildlife Group attracting 120 participants. What could be more atmospheric than wandering at dusk in the grounds of this ancient cemetery with its lush trees and meandering paths?

“As a small charity, EPF is limited in the number of events it can run itself and has teamed up with the brilliant park leaders at Boston Manor Park in order to offer more opportunities for people to volunteer or enjoy a range of activities at South Ealing Cemetery,” says Paul.

Not all of the activities are nature-based and new ideas for welcoming residents to the grounds have been very successful.

“We’ve already hosted a couple of Arts and Crafts markets which were run by the Wandering Fox Market. Feedback from visitors and stallholders was very positive and we plan for three more markets this year including Halloween and Christmas,” says Paul.

Over 100 participants attended the bat walk at South Ealing Cemetery

Visitors are flocking to the events

“Since we’ve starting using Eventbrite, we’ve even had visitors from north, east and south London.”

A cemetery might not be the most obvious place to go Christmas shopping, but why not. If the extensive grounds are otherwise under-utilised, it would be a waste not to enjoy this lovely, historic setting.

The main entrance to South Ealing Cemetery is on South Ealing Road, W5 4X2. It can be reached on the E3 or 65 bus. The nearest tube station is South Ealing (Piccadilly Line).