St Paul's cemetery was opened in 1893 on Holbrooks Avenue in Coventry to the west of Jimmy Hill Way. The original entrance was through a typical Victorian high archway. This entrance on Holbrooks Avenue is still open and used. It leads through to a Victorian styled cemetery. The main entrance today however, is via a side road on Jackson Road. It is almost a hidden cemetery; not visible and prominent. It is set-in a residential and business area of the city.
St Paul's Cemetery
Many of the burials are from the local catchment area, Holbrooks, Foleshill and local surrounding areas. It was created approximately 45 years after Coventry's very first (and oldest) cemetery - London Road cemetery was established. St Paul's being located some three-and-a-half miles to the north.
In the Victorian era when most people did not have transport, this distance was considerable for mourners to walk to the cemetery. No doubt the establishment of a graveyard closer to where they lived would have been welcomed.
The cemetery is almost divided between new and old graves. A number of the older graves have either fallen over, are broken or are need of urgent repair. The cemetery operatives are not permitted to repair grave stones. They will stay broken and in a state of disrepair until the decision to repair them has been over-turned.
The Chapel in the centre of the cemetery is closed and not in use. Like a number of chapels in cemeteries, these days they are used purely for storage. The building is in need of repair but is not beyond restoration and being a focal point to the cemetery.
The cemetery is currently closed for any new burials. Only plots that have been reserved or need re-opening are permitted. The overall standard of up-keep is good in a very surprisingly pleasant, quite and peaceful surrounding given that the cemetery is located in a residential and business area.
