Some European approaches to twentieth-century cemetery design: continental solutions for British dilemmas

Abstract

When considering British cemetery design, it is the grand schemes of the early nineteenth century which are widely understood to be the finest design examples even though not all are still in use as cemeteries and in spite of the fact that many have been severely neglected and vandalized. They provide us with a legacy of what can be achieved when appropriate resources are available and where there is a will to create something of distinction. Unfortunately in British twentieth-century cemeteries this view has rarely been adopted. This is in contrast with continental Europe where there continues to be a strong tradition of high standard design and maintenance. This paper selects five inspiring examples which help to illustrate how different design approaches respond to social change, changing attitudes towards nature, landscape context and as a place for burial. Each of these schemes is evaluated and some conclusions are drawn which may help to contribute to the debate on cemetery design.