Western Cemetery, Dundee

The Western Cemetery in Dundee, Scotland, is a still-operational cemetery founded in the mid 19th century. It rises northwards from the Perth Road, with terraces in its upper sections. It views over the Firth of Tay to the Tay Rail Bridge and Fife. The Western Cemetery is maintained and managed by Dundee City Council.[1]

The entrance gates of the Western Cemetery, Dundee
Inscription on the entrance gates, Western Cemetery, Dundee
Western Cemetery, Dundee from the upper terrace looking over River Tay
Angel on the Reoch grave, Western Cemetery, Dundee
St Margaret on the shoulder of the Stewart & Pollard grave, Western Cemetery, Dundee
The grave of Andrew Low, Western Cemetery, Dundee

Background

The Cemeteries Act (Scotland) 1840 had permitted private companies to create burial grounds, unconnected to the historic church parish burial grounds or traditional burial grounds such as The Howff. This provided a religiously neutral burial ground (at a price) in a controlled environment, usually some distance from the town centres.

Dundee had planned a new cemetery north of the Howff Burial Ground[2] based on a curvilinear layout as already executed in burial grounds such as Dean Cemetery in Edinburgh (1842). However, such curvilinear layouts, whilst visually more attractive, were far more difficult both to manage and maintain, and to track graves once more than a few dozen were created.

A rectilinear layout was therefore chosen, based on more organised layouts such as found in Grange Cemetery in south Edinburgh (1847). The site chosen was Blackness House and Blackhouse Nurseries, to the west of Dundee, thereby gaining the name Western Cemetery. It had the huge advantage of already being laid out with paths and an established landscape, due to its previous nursery use.[3]

Unlike most traditional graveyards, the site was far from flat. However, as a nursery, soil depths were good, and the ground was well-drained. The southern aspect also created a sunnier position than normal and views from almost all parts of the cemetery (especially the upper sections). The terraces within the cemetery predate its conversion to cemetery use and belong to Blackness House.

Designed by James Findlater in 1852 (mainly the entrance gates) the cemetery did not fully open until around 1858.[4] From around 1860 the cemetery quickly became popular, especially amongst the wealthier families.

Lightning destroyed the dome on top of the eastern gatepost in 1953 and this has never been repaired. The site changed from private control to Council control in 1979. In 2014 the Council created a new section in the centre of the western wall for interment of ashes.[4]

A new northern terrace was created in 2014 as an area for private burials.[5]

Local names include Nucator, Mealmaker, Easson, Fyffe, Soutar, McMaster and Keiller.

Notable Interments

War Graves

The cemetery contains the Commonwealth war graves of 17 British service personnel of World War I and 10 of World War II.[10]

References
  1. "FDCA - Western Cemetery". fdca.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-10.
  2. "View: OS town plan - Dundee, Sheet LIV.5.24 - Ordnance Survey large scale Scottish town plans, 1847-1895". maps.nls.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-10.
  3. "View: OS town plan - Dundee, Sheet LIV.9.1 - Ordnance Survey large scale Scottish town plans, 1847-1895". maps.nls.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-10.
  4. "Western Cemetery :: McManus 168". mcmanus168.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-10.
  5. "Western Cemetery Limited | The historical Western Cemetery is opening for private burial in the heart of Dundee's West End". western-cemetery.org.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-10.
  6. Dundee Courier 4 September 1916
  7. "Henry McGrady (1846–1917) Lord Provost of Dundee (1896–1899)". Art UK. Retrieved 2019-03-17.
  8. "Early 20th Century Surgeons : Museum : University of Dundee". dundee.ac.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-10.
  9. Dundee Courier, 29 September 1944, p. 3 – Death of Dundee Art Master Mr. David D. Williams of Logie Central School (obituary)
  10. https://www.cwgc.org/find/find-war-dead/result/?cemetery=DUNDEE WESTERN CEMETERY

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