Other Locations

Names, links and information about the various localities within the study area

Manor Park Cemetery - an overview

In 1787 Hamfrith Farm, the site today of the Godwin and Sebert Road Estate in Forest Gate and of Manor Park Cemetery, belonged to John Greenhill whose home was Hamfrith House (built about 1800 and demolished in 1891; known from the 1860's as West Ham Hall), now the site of Woodgrange School in Sebert Road. The land was sold in 1851 to Samuel Gurney (d. 1856), brother of Elizabeth Fry the prison reformer. In 1872 his grandson John Gurney sold much of Hamfrith to the British Land Company who two years later sold it to the Manor Park Cemetery Company.

The Cemetery was established in 1874. Initially opened purely as a cemetery, the original chapels, lodge and main entrance were built in 1877. Only the tower of the chapel survived when it was hit by enemy action on 23rd July 1944. The rebuilt chapels, incorporating crematorium facilities, were opened on 2nd November 1955.

Manor Park has full records from 1875, the first interment being one William Nesbitt who was buried on the 25th March 1875. His grave can still be seen on the right hand side of Remembrance Road. Manor Park has the honour of having the youngest recipient of the Victoria Cross buried in the grounds. John Travers Cornwell VC was only 16 when he died of wounds received at the Battle of Jutland. The memorial to Mary Orchard who died in 1906 was erected in grateful memory by some of Princess Alice's children whom Mary served for forty years. These were Victoria, Princess Louis of Battenburg, Elizabeth, Grand Duchess Sergius of Russia: Irene, Princess Henry of Prussia, Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse, Alix, Empress of Russia.

This cemetery is shielded from Whitta Road, Capel Road and Ridley Road by the houses that were built on part of the original estate not required for the cemetery. On the southern side is the main Liverpool Street to Southend and Colchester railway line. Incidentally, Capel Road - originally called Duncan Road - is named after an old Essex family whose most famous member was Arthur Capel (1631-83) who was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and later Earl of Essex. It is probably he that the road is named after.

Manor Park Cemetery covers 50 acres with an attractive mix of woodlands, grassed areas, old and new traditional graves, lawn graves, gardens of remembrance, shrubs and walks. Even though cremations now comprise something like 70% of all UK funerals, many burials still take place, and burial grounds are at a premium. Thirty years ago, from a house whose garden is separated from the cemetery by only a 5ft wall, even in the depths of winter it was almost impossible to see a gravestone through the thick mass of trees that formed much of the cemetery's northern boundary. Now those trees have been all but removed, leaving only a line of mature Lime (Tilia x europaea) trees, and - unfortunately - a massive weed-growth of Robinia pseudoacacia - to shade the gardens. Now the view of gravestones stretch away across the cemetery. Unfortunately, many of these are of a black polished stone that appears virtually impervious to weathering and giving - to my mind - a bleak outlook. With the trees, it seems, went cover and habitat for many wild birds including Tawny Owls which were frequently heard and seen. At one time even a Barn Owl could be heard, but no longer. A variety of birds are still present of course, and a list is given on the next page. Foxes are just as frequent in the cemetery and adjacent gardens as ever! A list of plants found in the cemetery was made in 1977 and again in 1996. This is available from the link below, together with some additional records.

For a list of birds found in Manor Park Cemetery click here

For a list of plants found in Manor Park Cemetery click here

For a list of some other wildlife in the cemetery click here

References.

VICTORIA COUNTY HISTORY OF ESSEX, VI. O.U.P.

WOODGRANGE NEWS. The Journal of the Woodgrange Residents Association. 1986.

THE MANOR PARK CEMETERY AND CREMATORIUM. Brochure produced by Steergood Association on behalf of the Manor Park Cemetery and Crematorium.

MOVIN' ON - THE STORY OF THE AREA OF ST MARKS IN FOREST GATE. By Martin Wallace and produced by St Marks Church, Forest Gate.

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Bush Wood - Plant List

Note : "Stace" indicates the page number of the plant in Stace 2nd Edition

BWS = Bush Wood South BWN = Bush Wood North

* found in this section (either Bush Wood South or Bush Wood North

Stace	Species	Common Name	BWS	BWN
20	Pteridium aquilinum	Bracken	*
33	Dryopteris filix-mas	Male Fern	*	*
51	Taxus baccata	Yew	*	*
81	Consolida sp.	Larkspur		*
85	Clematis vitalba	Traveller's Joy		*
88	Ranunculus bulbosus	Bulbous Buttercup	*
88	Ranunculus acris	Meadow Buttercup	*
88	Ranunculus repens	Creeping Buttercup	*	*
91	Ranunculus ficaria	Lesser Celandine	*	*
101	Mahonia aquifolium	Oregon Grape		*
102	Papaver somniferum	Opium Poppy	*	*
103	Papaver rhoeas	Common Poppy		*
103	Mecanopsis cambrica	Welsh Poppy		*
105	Chelidonium majus	Greater Celandine	*
111	Platanus x hispanica	London Plane	*	*
117	Urtica dioica	Nettle	*	*
120	Castanea sativa	Sweet Chestnut	*	*
120	Fagus sylvatica	Beech	*	*
122	Quercus cerris	Turkey Oak		*
123	Quercus robur	English Oak	*	*
123	Quercus rubra	Red Oak		*
124	Betula pendula	Silver Birch	*	*
127	Carpinus betulus	Hornbeam	*	*
127	Corylus avellana	Hazel	*	*
139	Chenopodium polyspermum	Many-seeded Goosefoot	*
140	Chenopodium album	Fat Hen	*
144	Atriplex prostrata	Spear-leaved Orache	*
156	Claytonia perfoliata	Spring Beauty	*
162	Stellaria media	Common Chickweed	*	*
165	Cerastium fontanum	Common Mouse-ear		*
168	Sagina procumbens	Procumbent Pearlwort		*
173	Spergularia media	Greater Sea-spurrey		*
176	Silene latifolia	White Campion	*	*
177	Silene dioica	Red Campion		*
183	Persicaria maculosa	Redshank	*	*
183	Persicaria amphibia	Amphibious Bistort	*
186	Polygonum arenastrum	Small-leaved Knotgrass	*	*
187	Fallopia baldschuanica	Russian-vine	*
190	Rumex acetosella subsp. Acetosella	Sheep's Sorrel	*	*
190	Rumex acetosa subsp. acetosa	Common Sorrel	*
194	Rumex crispus	Curled Dock		*
195	Rumex obtusifolius	Broad-Leaved Dock	*	*
207	Hypericum sp.	St. John's-wort		*
210	Tilia x europaea (vulgaris)	Common Lime	*	*
212	Malva sylvestris	Mallow		*
215	Alcea rosea	Hollyhock	*
219	Viola sp.	Garden Pansy	*
220	Viola odorata	Sweet Violet	*
220	Viola riviniana	Common Dog Violet		*
221	Viola tricolor	Wild Pansy		*
226	Populus x canescens	Grey Poplar	*	*
234	Salix fragilis	Crack Willow	*
250	Sisymbrium officinale	Hedge Mustard	*	*
250	Alliaria petiolata	Garlic Mustard		*
257	Rorippa palustris	Marsh Yellow-cress	*
267	Capsella bursa-pastoris	Shepherd's Purse	*	*
273	Coronopus didymus	Lesser Swinecress		*
275	Brassica oleracea	Cabbage	*	*
276	Sinapis arvensis	Charlock		*
281	Reseda luteola	Weld		*
303	Philadelphus coronarius	Mock Orange		*
330	Kerria japonica	Kerria or Jew's Mallow	*
334	Rubus idaeus	Raspberry	*	*
335	Rubus sect. Glandulosus	Bramble	*	*
335	Rubus laciniatus	Cut-leaved Bramble	*	*
344	Potentilla erecta	Tormentil	* FMH
344	Potentilla reptans	Creeping Cinquefoil	* FMH	*
346	Geum urbanum	Herb Bennet	* FMH	*
361	Rosa canina	Dog Rose	*	*
365	Prunus spinosa	Blackthorn	*
365	Prunus cerasifera	Cherry Plum	*
365	Prunus avium	Wild Cherry	*
367	Prunus laurocerasus	Cherry-laurel	*	*
368	Chaenomeles speciosa	Chinese Quince	*
369	Malus sp.	Apple	*	*
370	Sorbus aucuparia	Rowan	*	*
374	Sorbus aria	Whitebeam	*
386	Cotoneaster horizontalis	Horizontal Cotoneaster	*	*
397	Crataegus laevigata	Midland Hawthorn	*
397	Crataegus monogyna	Hawthorn	*	*
401	Robinia pseudoacacia	Locust Tree	*
411	Vicia cracca	Tufted Vetch	*	*
412	Vicia sativa	Common Vetch	*	*
414	Lathyrus pratensis	Meadow Vetchling		*
420	Medicago lupulina	Black Medick		*
423	Medicago arabica	Spotted Medick		*
425	Trifolium repens	White Clover	*	*
427	Trifolium campestre	Hop Trefoil		*
427	Trifolium pratense	Red Clover	*	*
432	Laburnum anagyroides	Laburnum		*
435	Cytisus scoparius	Broom	*	*
436	Ulex europaeus	Gorse		*
444	Epilobium hirsutum	Great Willow-herb	*
447	Epilobium roseum	Small Flowered Willow-herb	*
447	Epilobium ciliatum	American Willow-herb	*	*
448	Chamerion angustifolium	Rosebay Willow-herb	*	*
451	Oenothera sp.	Evening Primrose		*
452	Circaea lutetiana	Enchanter's Nightshade	*	*
456	Ilex aquifolium	Holly	*	*
461	Euphorbia helioscopia	Sun Spurge		*
461	Euphorbia peplus	Petty Spurge	*	*
468	Aesculus hippocastanum	Horse Chestnut	*	*
470	Acer platanoides	Norway Maple	*	*
470	Acer campestre	Field Maple	*	*
470	Acer pseudoplatanus	Sycamore	*	*
471	Ailanthus altissima	Tree of Heaven	*
475	Oxalis stricta	Upright Yellow Sorrel		*
475	Oxalis debilis (corymbosa)	Purple Garden Oxalis		* check species
480	Geranium dissectum	Cut-leaved Crane's-bill		*
482	Geranium molle	Dove's-foot Cranesbill		*
482	Geranium robertianum	Herb Robert	*	*
490	Hedera helix subsp. helix	Ivy	*	*
501	Anthriscus sylvestris	Cow Parsley	*	*
504	Aegopodium podagraria	Ground Elder	*
504	Sium latifolium	Water Parsnip		*
512	Sison amomum	Stone Parsley		*
515	Pastinaca sativa	Wild Parsnip		*
515	Heracleum sphondylium	Hogweed		*
518	Daucus carota	Wild Carrot		*
525	Vinca major	Greater Periwinkle	*
531	Solanum nigrum	Black Nightshade	*
531	Solanum dulcamara	Bittersweet	*	*
534	Convolvulus arvensis	Field Bindweed		*
535	Calystegia silvatica	Great Bindweed	*
535	Calystegia sepium	Hedge Bindweed	*
539	Polemonium caeruleum	Jacob's-Ladder	*
548	Pentaglottis sempervirens	Green Alkanet		*
559	Ballota nigra ssp. foetida	Black Horehound	*	*
559	Stachys sylvatica	Hedge Woundwort
560	Lamium album	White Dead-nettle	*
560	Lamiastrum galeobdolon	Yellow Archangel	*
562	Lamium purpureum	Red Dead-nettle	*
564	Teucrium scorodonia	Wood Sage	*
567	Melissa officinalis	Balm		*
582	Callitriche platycarpa	Water Starwort	*
583	Plantago coronopus	Buck's-horn Plantain		*
583	Plantago major	Great Plantain	*	*
584	Plantago lanceolata	Ribwort Plantain	*	*
585	Buddleja davidii	Buddleja		*
586	Fraxinus ornus	Manna Ash	*
586	Fraxinus excelsior	Ash	*	*
586	Forsythia x intermedia	Common Forsythia		*
587	Syringa vulgaris	Lilac	*
587	Ligustrum ovalifolium	Garden Privet		*
587	Ligustrum vulgare	Common Privet	*
593	Scrophularia nodosa	Common Figwort	*
596	Antirrhinum majus	Snapdragon	*
598	Cymbalaria muralis subsp. muralis	Ivy-leaved Toadflax		*
600	Digitalis purpurea	Foxglove	*	*
605	Veronica hederifolia	Ivy Speedwell	*	*
639	Campanula persicifolia	Peach-leaved Bellflower		*
640	Campanula trachelium	Nettle-leaved Bellflower		*
647	Galium verum	Lady's Bedstraw	*	*
649	Galium saxatile	Heath Bedstraw		*
649	Galium aparine	Cleavers	*	*
651	Sambucus nigra	Elder	*	*
652	Symphoricarpos albus	Snowberry		*
656	Lonicera periclymenum	Honeysuckle	*	*
662	Succisa pratensis	Devil's-bit Scabious	* FMH
674	Arctium minus	Lesser Burdock	*
676	Cirsium vulgare	Spear Thistle	*	*
678	Cirsium arvense	Creeping Thistle	*	*
681	Centaurea scabiosa	Greater Knapweed		*
682	Centaurea nigra	Black Knapweed		*
684	Cichorium intybus	Chicory		*
686	Hypochaeris radicata	Common Cat's-ear	*	*
686	Lapsana communis subsp. communis	Nipplewort	*	*
687	Leontodon autumnalis	Autumn Hawkbit	*
688	Tragopogan pratensis subsp. minor	Goat's-beard	*
690	Sonchus asper	Prickly Sow-thistle	*
690	Sonchus oleraceus	Smooth Sow-thistle	*
690	Lactuca serriola	Prickly Lettuce	*
698	Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia	Dandelion	*	*
699	Crepis vesicaria	Beaked Hawk's-beard		*
705	Hieracium umbellatum subsp. umbelattum	Leafy Hawkweed	*
715	Gnaphalium uliginosum	Marsh Cudweed	*
720	Aster sp.	Michaelmas Daisy		*
728	Bellis perennis	Daisy	*	*
728	Tanacetum parthenium	Feverfew		*
729	Artemisia vulgaris	Mugwort	*	*
732	Achillea millefolium	Yarrow	*	*
735	Leucanthemum x superbum	Shasta Daisy	*
736	Matricaria discoidea	Pineapple Mayweed	*	*
736	Matricaria recutita	Scented Mayweed	*	*
736	Tripleurospermum inodorum	Scentless Mayweed		*
740	Senecio squalidus	Oxford Ragwort	*	*
740	Senecio vulgaris	Groundsel	*
740	Senecio jacobaea	Common Ragwort		*
747	Calendula officinalis	Pot Marigold		*
754	Bidens tripartita	Trifid Bur-marigold	*
778	Arum maculatum	Cuckoo-pint	*
784	Juncus squarossus	Heath Rush	*	*
788	Juncus bulbosus	Bulbous Rush	*
788	Juncus articulatus	Jointed Rush
790	Juncus effusus	Soft Rush	*	*
791	Luzula campestris	Field Wood-rush	*	*
796	Eleocharis palustris	Common Spike-rush	*
840	Nardus stricta	Mat Grass	*
845	Festuca rubra	Red Fescue	*	*
849	Festuca ovina	Sheep's Fescue	*	*
852	Lolium perenne	Perennial Rye-Grass	*	*
854	Cynosurus cristatus	Crested Dog's-tail	*	*
858	Poa annua	Annual Meadow-grass	*	*
858	Poa pratensis	Smooth Meadow-grass	*	*
858	Poa trivialis	Rough Meadow-grass	*
859	Dactylis glomerata	Cock's-foot	*	*
863	Glyceria fluitans	Floating Sweet-grass	*
864	Arrhenatherum elatius	Tall or False Oat-grass	*	*
868	Holcus lanatus	Yorkshire Fog	*	*
868	Holcus mollis	Creeping Soft-grass	*	*
868	Deschampsia flexuosa	Wavy Hair-grass		*
871	Anthoxanthum odoratum	Sweet Vernal Grass	*
874	Agrostis capillaris	Common or Fine bent		*
880	Alopecurus pratensis	Meadow Foxtail	*	*
880	Alopecurus geniculatus	Marsh Foxtail	*
883	Phleum bertolonii	Smaller Cat's-tail	*	*
888	Anisantha sterilis	Barren Brome		*
892	Elytrigia repens ssp. repens	Couch	*	*
895	Hordeum murinum	Wall Barley	*	*
899	Danthonia decumbens	Heath Grass	*
919	Sparganium erectum	Branched Bur-reed	*
934	Hyacinthus orientalis	Hyacinth		*
934	Hyacinthoides non-scripta	Bluebell	*	*
934	Hyacinthoides hispanica	Spanish Bluebell		*
934	Chionodoxa forbesii	Glory-of-the-snow	*	*
935	Muscari sp.	Grape-hyacinth		*
938	Allium triquetrum	Three-cornered Garlic		*
945	Narcissus spp.	Hybrid Daffodils	*	*
949	Asparagus officinalis	Asparagus	*
954	Iris [germanica]	Garden Iris		*
958	Crocus x stellaris	Yellow Garden Crocus		*
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Manor Park Cemetery - an overview

Bush Wood - Plant List

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