Ilminster Cemetery and Lodge
Ilminster Cemetery (sometimes known as Ilminster Town Cemetery) is a very rural cemetery with a fabulous outlook over farmland. The road it is on was once more significant, but must have become much quieter after the building of the A303 Ilminster bypass.
This new cemetery was proposed in 1856, and was consecrated on 2nd May 1859. The Wells Journal reported:
"The buildings and burial ground occupy a fine view, but the general complaint is, that it is too far from the town, being a mile distant from the marketplace. The day of opening was fine, and the site attracted a very large number of persons from the town and locality, amongst whom the first families of the neighbourhood."
A helpful note in the Ilminster Burials Register tells us that the first burial in the cemetery was Emma Barber, a 15 year old girl, who was buried on May 9th.
The second, on the same day, was William Keates, aged 79 years. I have added him to Find a Grave as he did not have a listing.
There are two Commonwealth War Graves Commission burials from the First World War, and four from the Second World War. There are also three Polish airmen buried in the cemetery.
At the time of posting, the cemetery lodge has been listed for sale by Greenslade Taylor Hunt. It will be sold by public auction with a livestream online, with a guide price of £200,000. It requires modernisation, but has a great deal of potential, with two reception rooms and amazing views from both bedrooms. The sale is scheduled to take place on Thursday 25th September 2025, at 2pm, at Sedgemoor Auction Centre, North Petherton.
