Arnos Vale cemetery to re-open with programme of special events

Bristol people are being invited to the special re-opening of a formerly dilapidated cemetery which has been restored to its original glory.

Lauded as one of the best Victorian garden cemeteries in the UK, Arnos Vale has finally finished its £5.5 million restoration project and will be celebrating with a weekend of events.

The 45-acre cemetery has been transformed into a heritage site complete with education and visitor centre as well as extensive restoration to its historic grounds and monuments.

To mark the eye-opening on Thursday 29 April, a horse-drawn  Victorian hearse accompanied by local children in period costume will take a yew tree for the Lord Mayor of Bristol Councillor Christopher Davies, to plant outside a former chapel on the site.

Following the opening event, a host of special activities will take place over the Bank Holiday weekend where visitors will be treated to skills and craft demonstrations, entertainment by community choirs and be given help with conducting family research.

Chief executive of the charity managing the site, the Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust, Rachel Schofield said: “We are greatly indebted to the Heritage Lottery Fund, English Heritage, Bristol City Council and the many other organisations which have funded the restoration, so enabling many more people to discover and enjoy this Victorian gem. We owe our biggest thanks, however, to the huge number of ordinary people who insisted that cemetery should be saved and who continue to back their commitment to Arnos Vale with gifts of time, money, energy and hard labour.”

For more information, visit: www.arnosvale.org.uk