The Ascension Parish burial ground (formerly St Giles’ burial ground) was opened in 1869 when the population of Cambridge, as with most Victorian cities, had grown dramatically. The parish of St Giles covered a large area to the north and west of the River Cam within which many scholars, scientists and university staff lived and worked. Thus the burial ground contains the graves of three Nobel prize winners, seven members of the Order of Merit, eight college masters, fifteen knights of the realm and thirty-nine people with entries in the Dictionary of National Biography. It is it is a burial place for all who lived in the Parish, of all faiths and none. These include Anglicans, Non-Conformists, Muslims, Jews, and those of many other faiths. The age span of those buried is from one hour to over 104 years.
Perhaps the best known and most visited grave is that of Ludwig Wittgenstein, one of the most important philosophers of the 20th century. The historian Professor Mark Goldie (author of ‘A Cambridge Necropolis’) has suggested that there is probably ‘…more IQ lying in this acre than in any other in the country.’ In any case, the burial ground is a remarkable and historic site.
Despite the continued growth of the City of Cambridge, the burial ground has remained an oasis of calm and tranquillity, one of the city’s ‘secret’ places. With housing and university development now about to encircle the cemetery, the Friends group has been established to serve as a voice for all who care about this special and unique place.
For further information about the Friends or to contact the group, please email or write to the Secretary, James Clackson, jptc1(at)cam.ac.uk.
The Ascension Parish Burial Ground 