Newington Cemetery

Before the sprawling urban landscape of Edinburgh existed, Newington Cemetery occupied farmland. It was 1846. The newly established Metropolitan Cemetery Association envisioned a necropolis, a city of the dead, to rise on lands purchased from the Dick family of Prestonfield. Newington Cemetery, originally Newington Necropolis or sometimes called Echobank Cemetery, opened its gates that year. David Cousin, a renowned cemetery architect with a penchant for Gothic grandeur, shaped the cemetery’s design from 1848 onwards. He brought to life the neo-Norman catacombs and the Victorian Gothic lodge that still graces the entrance on Dalkeith Road today. Newington Cemetery is a unique example of the garden cemeteries movement, a trend that blossomed after the 1830s. Its design, however, is considered less successful than Cousin’s earlier masterpieces, Dean Cemetery and Warriston Cemetery. The initial eight acres of Newington Cemetery eventually expanded towards Cameron Toll, reaching its current fourteen-acre expanse. The cemetery’s history intertwined with the city’s growth. In the late 1860s, a carriage drive was built from Craigmillar Park, offering grand access. The arrival of the South Suburban Railway in the 1880s, running alongside the Pow Burn, brought further accessibility with Newington Station and its adjacent tram stop becoming convenient points of entry. Newington Cemetery holds the stories of many. It houses 156 Commonwealth service war graves, a poignant reminder of the two World Wars. A dedicated section, marked by the eastern boundary wall, served as the final resting place for Jewish burials until 1945. The cemetery’s northern sections, now a haven for wildlife, tell a different story. Abandoned for over thirty years, nature has reclaimed these areas, offering sanctuary within the city. Despite being a place of rest, Newington Cemetery has seen its share of upheaval. In 1982, tragedy struck when a falling headstone claimed the life of a teenager. This incident, along with years of neglect, spurred the city council to acquire the cemetery in 1994. Today, Newington Cemetery stands as a peaceful haven. It is a green space for reflection, a sanctuary for wildlife, and a testament to Edinburgh’s rich and layered history.