Buried within these grounds lies a microcosm of early colonial Australia. This is St John’s Anglican Cemetery. It is not just a burial ground. It is a historical tapestry woven with the stories of settlers convicts and pioneers.
Welcome to St John’s Anglican Cemetery in Parramatta. Founded in 1790 it stands as the oldest surviving European cemetery in Australia. For many years St John’s Anglican Cemetery served as a common resting place for people of all faiths. Only later did it become exclusively Anglican.
Imagine this place in its early days. It was just an old stock paddock on the edge of Parramatta. The first to be buried here was James Magee a convict’s child. That happened on January 31 1790. Soon after in 1791 Henry Edward Dodd Governor Phillip’s servant was interred. His is the oldest surviving grave with a headstone still in place. Dodd’s funeral was the first public one in the colony.
As you wander through St John’s Anglican Cemetery notice the variety of headstones. Some are grand monuments. Others are simple markers. They tell silent stories of lives lived. Some tombstones have suffered from erosion. The inscriptions are covered in lichen.
Many notable people rest here. There are over 50 First Fleet graves. The Reverend Samuel Marsden a prominent figure in early New South Wales is buried here. So is D’Arcy Wentworth and members of the Blaxland family. Charles Fraser the first superintendent of the Sydney Botanic Garden also rests here. You will also find David Lennox a colonial bridge builder.
In the early 1820s a brick wall was erected around St John’s Anglican Cemetery. It replaced a decayed ditch and fence. The wall was built by public subscription. Many bricks bear the government arrow mark. This wall is one of the most substantial sandstock structures in Australia.
Look toward the entry. The lychgate stands there. Parramatta Rotary built it in 1982. It is a copy of James Houison’s 1856 gate. The word “lych” means body. This gate provided shelter for the deceased before burial.
In 2015 St. John’s Online launched. It is a database of burials and biographies. It tells stories of First Fleeters convicts and colonial figures. Historians contribute to this project. They reveal the lives of people buried here at St John’s Anglican Cemetery.
Friends of St John’s Cemetery formed in 2016. They work to preserve and promote this historic site. They also seek National Heritage Listing.
St John’s Anglican Cemetery offers a window into Australia’s colonial past. It is a place of remembrance history and reflection. Take a moment to appreciate the stories etched in stone. Remember the lives that shaped this nation.