Ascension Parish Burial Ground

The chapel of the Ascension Parish Burial Ground, Cambridge.

The Ascension Parish Burial Ground, formerly St Giles and St Peter's Parish, is a cemetery in Cambridge, England. It includes the graves and memorials of many University of Cambridge academics and non-conformists of the 19th and early 20th century. The cemetery encapsulates a century-and-a-half of the University's modern history. The one and a half acres of the burial ground were established in 1857 when extra burial space was needed as the city of Cambridge expanded in Victorian times. The first burial there was in 1869. Today some 2,500 people of every religious denomination and none are buried in 1,500 plots. Many city and university dignitaries, scientists and scholars are buried there including three Nobel prize winners. Perhaps one of the burial ground's most famous graves is that of Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher (1899–1951), but the burial ground includes five members of the extended family of Charles Darwin: two sons: Sir Francis Darwin and Sir Horace Darwin, two daughters-in-law, and a granddaughter: Frances Cornford, nee Darwin, the poet.

History

The cemetery is located just off Huntingdon Road near the junction with Storey's Way in the northwest of Cambridge; All Souls Lane leads off the Huntingdon Road to it. The burial ground is a designated City Wildlife Site and is part of the Storey's Way Conservation area. In 2005 the plant species present were catalogued and the site is now managed so as to encourage wildlife and habitat diversity, as well as to care for the graves themselves. It is a 'hidden' part of the busy and rapidly expanding city and remains little known even to people who have lived all their lives in Cambridge. The cemetery encapsulates a century-and-a half of the University of Cambridge's modern history.

The Friends of the Parish of the Ascension Burial Ground aim to protect and enhance the Parish of the Ascension Burial Ground for the public benefit as a place of remembrance, spirituality, history and nature. The Friends (led by Diana Tapp as Chair of the committee) have made substantial progress in the preparation of material for a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for support for the maintenance of the cemetery, the repair of damaged or endangered memorials, and archival and publicity work, including a web site and construction of a database about the graves. (The Heritage Lottery Fund application has now been taken over by the Parish of the Ascension, since it is the legal owner of the graveyard, and it is expected that the formal bid will be submitted sometime in 2013.)

The Burial Ground contains the graves of three Nobel Prize winners (who were also members of the Order of Merit), five other members of the Order of Merit, twenty-two knights, and eight Masters of Cambridge colleges, plus over 50 people with entries in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. There are twenty-five former Fellows of the Royal Society interred in the burial ground, and twenty-two former Fellows of the British Academy, as well as six former members of the Cambridge Apostles, the intellectual secret society. The burial ground contains the graves or interred cremations of 26 Fellows of Trinity College, Cambridge.

There are six Commonwealth burials of the 1914–1918 war and one of the 1939–1945 war.

In March 2000, Dr. Mark Goldie of Churchill College compiled a list of 49 more famous people buried in the cemetery, along with a brief biography of each person. As he says : "their lives provide vignettes of Cambridge, snapshots which tell stories of Victorian scholarship and college life and which trace the growth of new disciplines in the sciences and the humanities." ("A Cambridge Necropolis", by Dr. Mark Goldie, Churchill College, Cambridge March 2000 - for the Friends of the Parish of Ascension Burial Ground.)

A small chapel was also built on the grounds in 1875 and currently acts as the workshop of local American lettering artist and stone-cutter Eric Marland.

Graves and memorials of notable individuals

A

grave of John Couch Adams.

• John Couch Adams FRS Astronomer, discoverer of Neptune, Professor, Fellow of Pembroke College and wife Eliza Adams [2D5]
• Sir Hugh Kerr Anderson FRS, physiologist, Master Gonville and Caius College : 1912 to 1928 and his wife Lady Jessie Anderson [4I1]
• Elizabeth Anscombe FBA Philosopher, Professor of Philosophy
• Rev. Richard Appleton Selwyn College 1907–1909, Vicar of St. George's, Camberwell, Vicar of Ware [2D14]
• Arthur John Arberry FBA Orientalist, Professor of Arabic, Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge and wife Serina Arberry

B

Grave of Sir Robert Stawell Ball and his wife Lady Francis Elizabeth Ball.

• Sir Robert Stawell Ball FRS, Astronomer, Professor of Astronomy, and his wife Lady Francis Elizabeth Ball [4I36]
• Arthur Beer Astronomer and wife Charlotte Vera
• Cecil Bendall Professor of Sanskrit, University of Cambridge; Honorary Fellow of Gonville and Caius College
• J.A.W. Bennett FBA, New Zealand born literary scholar and his wife Gwyneth
• Arthur Christopher Benson Master Magdalene College : 1915 to 1925 [2C56]
• William Henry Besant FRS, Fellow of St John's, mathematician [4I21]
• James Bethune-Baker FBA, Theologian, Professor of Divinity, Fellow of Pembroke College [4I30]
• Frederick Blackman, FRS Plant Physiologist, Fellow of St John's and wife Elsie Blackman
• Henry Boulind and wife Joan Boulind CBE, and Gillian Boulind and Richard Boulind

• John Buckley Bradbury, Professor of Medicine, Gonville and Caius College and Downing College, Cambridge and wife Jane Bradbury [2B14]
• Charles Oscar Brink FBA, Classicist and his wife Daphne Hope Brink
• Sir Denis William Brogan FBA, Historian, Political Scientist, Fellow of Peterhouse College, Professor of Political Science; note: Lady Olwen Brogan, later Hackett, is also interred in the Burial Ground. [6C44]
• Zachary Nugent Brooke FBA, Historian, Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, Professor of Medieval History, and wife Rosa Brooke
• Robert Burn, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge
• John Burnaby, Dean of Trinity College, Cambridge, Regius Professor of Divinity
• Geoffrey Bushnell FBA, Archaeologist and Ethnologist

C

• Sir James Cable, Diplomat, Naval Strategist, and wife Lady Cable, Viveca Hollmerus

• John Walton Capstick Bursar and Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge Physicist, Musician [2C25]
• Neville Chittick, Scholar, Archaeologist
• Richard Chorley, Quantitative Geographer, Vice-Master, Sidney Sussex College
• Sir Derman Christopherson FRS, Engineering Scientist, Master Magdelene College : 1978 to 1985 and his wife Lady Frances Christopherson
• Sarah Clackson Coptologist; wife of James Clackson of the Friends of Ascension Parish Burial Ground
• Sir William Henry Clark Civil Servant and wife Lady Annie Clark [2G3]
• Sir John Cockroft OM FRS, Physicist, Nobel Prize winner, Master Churchill College : 1959 to 1968 and wife Lady Elizabeth Cockcroft, and son John, known as Timothy.[1E1]
• Agnes Bell Collier Vice Principal of Newnham College, passed Maths. Tripos in 1883 [5A8]
• Francis Cornford FBA, Classical Scholar,: cremated, interred in grave of Sir Francis Darwin with wife Frances Cornford, Sir Francis Darwin's daughter. [2D34]
• Frances Cornford, Poet, interred in grave of father Sir Francis Darwin with her husband's Francis Cornford ashes

D

Grave of Sir Francis Darwin and his daughter Frances Cornford.

• Sir Francis Darwin FRS, Botanist, biographer, buried with his daughter the poet Frances Cornford [2D34]
• Lady Florence Darwin, third wife of Sir Francis Darwin, widow of Frederic William Maitland [4I28]
• Sir Horace Darwin FRS, Scientific instrument maker and wife Lady Ida Darwin [2C27]

E

• Sir Arthur Eddington OM FRS, Astrophysicist, : cremated interred in the grave of his mother Sarah Eddington, with sister Winifred Eddington [4139]
• Sir James Ewing FRS, Professor of Mechanics, Professorial Fellowship at King's and wife Lady Ellen Ewing [4CI]

F

• Michael James Farrell Reader of economics, Fellow of Gonville and Caius College [2C33]
• Sir James Frazer OM FRS FBA, Anthropologist, and wife Lady Lilly Frazer [1G14]

G

• Roberto Gerhard Composer, Musical Scholar and wife Poldi Gerhard
• Henry Melvill Gwatkin (Rev.) Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Historian, theologian, conchologist, and his wife Lucy De Lisle Gwatkin [4A19]

H

• Reginald Hackforth FBA, Professor of Ancient Philosophy, Classical Scholar and wife Lily Hackforth
• Basil Hammond Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge and historian, and wife Margaret Hammond [4I14]
• Ernest William Hobson FRS, Mathematician, Professor, Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge and wife Seline Hobson, and William Hobson
• William Emerton Heitland Classicist, Fellow of St John's and wife Margaret Heitland [2C23]
• Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins OM, FRS, Nobel Prize winner, Biochemist, and wife Lady Jessie Ann Hopkins [2G2]
• Bertram Hopkinson, CMG FRS, Patent Lawyer,Engineer, and wife Mariana Hopkinson [2D51]
• Tristram Frederick Croft Huddleston Fellow of St John's and Censor Fitzwilliam House 1890–1907, and wife Bessie [2D39]
• Arthur Hutchinson FRS and Master Pembroke College 1928 to 1937, and wife Evaline Hutchinson

J

• Henry Jackson OM, FBA, Regius Professor of Greek (Cambridge), Classicist, Vice-Master Trinity College, Cambridge 1914–1919 [2D47]
• Sir Richard Jebb OM, MP, FBA, Regius Professor of Greek (Cambridge), Classicist, with a memorial to his wife Lady Caroline Jebb (who died in America) [4I2]

K

• Courtney Stanhope Kenny FBA, MP, Legal scholar, Professor of Law, Fellow of Downing College, Cambridge and wife Emily and daughters Gertrude and Agnes [2B11]

L

• Sir Horace Lamb FRS, Mathematician, Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge and wife Lady Elizabeth Lamb [2B24]
• Edward Hubert Linfoot Mathematician
• George Downing Liveing FRS, Professor of Chemistry, Fellow and President of St John's College, Cambridge [4D6]
• John Bascombe Lock Fellow of Gonville and Caius College and wife Emily Lock [2D49]
• Robert H. Lock Fellow of Gonville and Caius College [4I40] and Assistant Director of the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens
• Henry Richards Luard Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, mathematician and clergyman
• Hugh Roger Lubbock Cell Biologist and his father John Ralph Lubbock.

M

Grave of philosopher G.E. Moore.

• Alexander MacAlister, Professor of Anatomy, Egyptologist [2B42]
• R. A. Stewart Macalister, archaeologist, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge and his wife Margaret A. M. Macalister[2B42]
• Sir Donald MacAlister, Vice-Chancellor Glasgow, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge and wife Lady Edith Macalister [5I13]
• Sir Desmond MacCarthy, Literary and drama critic, and wife Lady Mary (Molly) MacCarthy (29)
• Alfred Marshall FBA, Economist, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, Professor of Political Economy who was married to Mary Paley, co-founder of Newnham College[2D2]
• Sir Charles James Martin FRS, Scientist, and wife Edith Martin
• Arthur Matthew Businessman, local politician and community stalwart
• Brigadier Arthur Gordon Matthew CBE DSO
• John Eyton Bickersteth Mayor FBA, Librarian, Professor of Latin, Antiquarian, [4I18]
• Norman McLean FBA, Orientalist and Master Christ's College, Cambridge 1927 to 1936
• Sir Geoffrey Fitzhervey de Montmorency Indian Civil Service
• George Edward Moore OM, FBA, Philosopher, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, Professor of Philosophy, and wife Dorothy Moore. [1H1]
• Henry Morris, Educationalist

N

• Hugh Frank Newall FRS, Astrophysicist whose second wife was Dame Bertha Phillpotts Mistress of Girton College 1922–1925
• George Ernest Newsom Master Selwyn College: 1934 to 1946 [2B19]
• Alfred Newton FRS, Professor of Comparative Anatomy, Ornithologist,

P

• Francis Pattrick, Fellow, Tutor, President of Magdalene College [2D13]
• Arthur Peck, Fellow of Christ's College Cambridge, Morris Dance enthusiast.
• Conrad Pepler Priest, Writer, Editor, Publisher
• Max Perutz OM, FRS, Molecular Biologist, Nobel Prize winner and wife Gisela Perutz, buried together with his parents Hugo Perutz and Dely Perutz.

R

• Sir Leon Radzinowicz FBA, Criminologist, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge and wife Lady Isolde Radzinowicz.
• Arthur Stanley Ramsey Mathematician and philosopher, President of Magdalene College, with his wife Mary, and their son Frank Plumpton Ramsey [2C48]
• Frank P. Ramsey Philosopher and mathematician, Fellow of King's, buried in same grave as his parents: Arthur Stanley Ramsey and Mary Agnes Ramsey. [2C48]
• William Halse Rivers Rivers FRS, Fellow of St John's, Anthropologist, Neurologist, Ethnologist, Psychologist
• David Roberts (architect) and his wife Margaret.
• Walter William Rouse Ball, Mathematician, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge [4I9]

S

• John Edwin Sandys FBA, (Sir) Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, Classicist and Public Orator, [2D46]
• Charles Henry Sargant, Lord Justice of Appeal, Privy Counsellor [1H12]
• Charlotte Scott, Pioneer woman student, buried in the grave of Eliza Nevin [4C52]
• Isabel May Griffiths Seltman, wife of Charles Seltman, art historian, fellow of Queens' College and a University Lecturer in Classics
• Walter William Skeat FBA Philologist, Anglo-Saxonist, Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge and wife Bertha Clara Skeat, daughter Bertha Marion Skeat) [4I19]
• Lucy Joan Slater Mathematician and Recorder of Ascension Parish Burial Ground, and her mother Lucy Dalton Slater [6C45]
• Bridget Spufford, after whom "Bridget's Hostel", Cambridge was named; daughter of Professors Peter and Margaret Spufford
• Vincent Henry Stanton Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge and Professor of Divinity [2D50]
• Joseph Peter Stern FBA, Germanist
• Stanley Stubbs Headmaster of Perse School 1945–1969 and wife Margaret Stubbs

T

• Joseph Robson Tanner, Bursar of St John's, Samuel Pepys expert
• Charles Taylor Master St. John's College: 1881 to 1908, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, mathematician and Hebrew scholar
• Harold McCarter Taylor Mathematician, Barrister
• Henry Martyn Taylor FRS, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, Mathematician, braille expert, and mother Eliza Taylor [2C52]
• Sir Alfred St Valery Tebbitt.

V

• Augustus Arthur Vansittart, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, classical scholar [2D1]
• Arthur Woollgar Verrall, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, Classicist, literary scholar and wife Margaret Verrall lecturer in classics at Newnham College [2B33]

W

The gravestone of Ludwig Wittgenstein.

• Sir Percy Henry Winfield FBA Professor of English Law, author of "The Law of Torts"
• Denys Winstanley Vice Master Trinity College, Cambridge: 1935–1947
• John Wisdom Professor of Philosophy, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, (cremated) Philosopher
• Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosopher, Professor of Philosophy, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge [5D31]
• Charles Wood (composer) Professor of Music, Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Composer, and his wife Charlotte Georgina Wood.[4A21]
• William Aldis Wright Shakespearean and biblical scholar, Vice-Master Trinity College, Cambridge, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, 1888–1914 [4I7]

External links

• Final resting place of the dead clever finds friends - Cambridge News
• History of Churches & Burial Grounds - Church at Castle
• Britain's brainiest cemetery - BBC Radio 4 Today
• Ascension Parish Burial Ground at Find-A-Grave . This website has details of 316 graves, most with images of the graves.
• "Giants Beneath our Feet" a 2012 amateur dramatic production at Fitzwilliam College, which featured:

• JOHN COUCH ADAMS - mathematician and astronomer who discovered Neptune
• A.C. BENSON - diarist and writer of the lyrics of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’
• SIR JOHN COCKCROFT - Nobel Prize-winning physicist, first to split the atom
• LADY 'IDA' DARWIN - mental health campaigner
• FRANCES CORNFORD - poet and Granddaughter of Charles Darwin
• JOHN HOULDSWORTH - a young racing driver killed at Brooklands
• ALFRED MARSHALL - economist, known as the ‘father of modern economics’
• FRANK RAMSEY - philosopher, economist, mathematician and polymath.
• CHARLOTTE SCOTT - pioneer of women’s mathematics
• BRIDGET SPUFFORD - a sick child who gave her name to Bridget’s Hostel
• LUDWIG WITTGENSTEIN - world famous philosopher
• CHARLES WOOD - composer of choral works and teacher