Cemeteries

Historic Cemeteries

Barbadoes Street Cemetery

Barbadoes Street (between Bealey Avenue and Kilmore Street)

The final resting place of many of Christchurch’s early citizens is Barbadoes Street Cemetery, the city’s oldest. First opened in 1851, the cemetery is divided by Barbadoes Street, separating the Anglican (Church of England) section on the eastern side, from the Roman Catholic and Dissenters (others) on the west. The history of the cemetery reflects the history of early Christchurch. The stories of its beginnings and the people buried there paint a rich and varied panorama of the life lived in 19th century and into last century.

The Barbadoes Street Cemetery Preservation Society has been active in this cemetery for many years undertaking headstone restoration work.

In the early 1990’s a roofed structure known as a lych-gate was at the Cambridge Terrace entrance to the cemetery. Lych-gate is a term adopted in Victorian times and derived from the Old English “lich” meaning corpse. It was the requirement in the 1549 Prayer Book that the priest, “metying the corpse at the church style” should commence the Order for the Burial of the Dead at this entrance-way which encouraged the construction of shelters for that purpose. Sometimes the cortege had to await the arrival of the parson for some time and the provision of a lych-gate provided a sheltered place for bearers who often had to carry the shrouded body for some distance over rough tracks. Generally coffins were only available to the more affluent members of society. Many lych-gates have coffin stones or coffin stools in the middle of the gateway on which to rest the coffin whilst awaiting the priest’s arrival. Bench seats were often incorporated in the construction for the comfort of the waiting bearers.

A granite plaque adjacent to the lych-gate is engraved with a map of the cemetery and information about some of the people buried there.

Conservation plan currently being finalised

Funding has been provided by the Christchurch City Council to prepare a conservation plan for Barbadoes Street Cemetery, the oldest in Christchurch. The plan explores the methods and approaches for how the community, with the support of Christchurch City Council, can appropriately care for Barbadoes Street Cemetery.

The conservation plan captures historical information, assesses heritage significance and guides conservation, planning, development and management of the cemetery. The draft plan has been prepared by experts in landscape architecture, history and archaeology, and is based on the template developed for the Addington and Linwood cemetery conservation plans.

The Christchurch City Council would like to thank everyone who made a submission on the draft conservation plan. More than 14 submissions were received by the closing date of 6 February 2009.

The Christchurch City Council is considering each submission as it works to finalise the conservation plan for Barbadoes Street Cemetery.

The final conservation plan will be available mid-2009.

As part of the exhibition Awakening – Barbadoes Street Cemetery: its care, its future, our memories, held during the consultation period, a resource was developed for anyone wishing to explore the cemetery. Take the opportunity to explore the cemetery using this resource [PDF 608KB].

Further information on Barbadoes Street Cemetery can be found at:
christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Cemeteries/Barbadoes/