Muslim Burial Ground, Horsell Common
The Muslim Burial Ground, Horsell Common , in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom, was the original resting place of two dozen Muslim soldiers who died during World War I and World War II. It measures about 30 metres (98 ft) by 30 metres and is located at grid reference TQ016599 in the southeast corner of Horsell Common about 100 metres off Monument Road. It is a Grade II listed building.
Large numbers of men from the Indian subcontinent fought on the Western Front during World War I. Some of those who were injured were moved to hospitals on the English south coast including Brighton. Of those, nineteen Muslims died and were buried here. The site was chosen for its proximity to the Shah Jahan Mosque, at the time, the only mosque in England. A further five men who died during World War II were buried here.
In the 1960s the site was becoming subject to vandalism so in 1968 the bodies were transferred to the Military Cemetery at Brookwood. The monument was restored in the 1990s as a result of financial support from a local resident of Woking, the musician Paul Weller.[1]
In November 2015, this burial ground was made into the 'Peace Memorial Garden' dedicated to all the Muslim soldiers of the British Indian Army, who died in World War I and II.[2]
The garden brings together the cultural expression of the traditional Islamic Garden with the natural elements of the Common. Hampshire based company, Terra Firma Landscape Architects Ltd, have been involved with the project since 2012 and designed and administered the contract on behalf of Woking Borough Council for implementation of the new garden, which was completed in 2015.[3]
References
- ^ Martinson, Jane. 'Muslim cemetery finds a saviour Punk rocker's gift gets restoration out of a jam, The Guardian 12 December 1993
- ^ BBC Report on Opening of the Memorial 12th November 2015 Retrieved 14.11.2015
- ^ BBC One Documentary on the Muslim Burial Ground Peace Memorial, shown on 3rd January 2016 Retrieved 4th January 2016
External links
- Doctor Brighton's Pavilion
- A Muslim trail in Woking on the untoldLondon website
- Historic England. "Details from listed building database ({{{num}}})". National Heritage List for England.
- Other photos including the extensive interpretation board at the site
- Information about one soldier originally buried at Woking, later remains shifted to Brookwood Military Cemetery
- Information, with imagery, about the garden renovation and the integration between local English and Islamic landscape architecture and design elements
51°19′45″N 0°32′35″W / 51.32913°N 0.54313°W
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