our cemetery

The history of the cemetery site and chapel

Keynsham is a Market Town that runs between Bath and Bristol.

In 1877 the then Vicar and churchwardens of Keynsham, finding the graveyard around the parish church incapable of either receiving any more burials or being enlarged, purchased two and a half acres of ground to make a public cemetery and chapel. This was situated a quarter of a mile beyond what was then the small village of Keynsham on the Bristol side and was part of the fine stretch of meadow land that borders the River Avon, known as the Hams.

Keynsham cemetery was eventually sited in the middle of a very large Roman villa built in the 4th century.

During 1875/6 there was only one topic of conversation in Keynsham, the site of the cemetery.

During this time Keynsham had a population of 2,245 people, somewhat different to the current bustling population of over 18,000. and a burial board was tasked with finding new land suitable for a cemetery but after heated opposition from Keynsham residents they were overturned.

As soon as the works began on the chapel the builders encountered the remains of a Roman house of great size. It was a matter of regret that this Roman house (palace) could not be preserved in situ but this was impossible in the circumstances where the ground was urgently needed for burial purposes.

Archaeologists now recognised that Keynsham villa was not just one of your average villas but could be better described as a palace.

The Bullied Report of 1926 adds that shortly after opening for burials in 1877 a successful objection was raised to burials immediately around the chapel. By 1926 it was necessary to use this area and it was the parish council who encouraged the 1925/6 dig that revealed how much of the villa remained.

The Bullied Report although it records that remains had been destroyed was nonetheless able to reconstruct the layout of the villa and a number of mosaics were recovered.

The first burial took place at the cemetery on 21 April 1878. Our records show that since 1953 approximately 4,500 burials have taken place.

Keynsham town council became the burial authority for Keynsham cemetery in 1996 when the former Wansdyke district council wanted to close the cemetery.

In 1996 a new extension was added with room for approximately 400 lawn and kerb grave spaces and also a memorial garden with memorial plots for caskets was created in 2015.

The cemetery is very well cared for by the council’s grounds maintenance team and has become a peaceful and attractive resting place to serve the residents of Keynsham and surrounding areas.