Guided Overleigh Cemetery Tour in Chester

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Recommended by 94% of reviewers

| Chester, England

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1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

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Overview

Opened in 1850, Overleigh Cemetery hosts many fascinating graves and monuments that reflect Chester's rich and diverse history. Every gravestone conceals a life story waiting to be told, and every grave has a hidden history. Led by a qualified and insured Green Badge guide, tours will include visits to around 25 of the most notable graves.

Designed by a famous local architect, T.M. Penson, the cemetery was laid out "with admirable taste" and included two lodges, two chapels, and an ornamental lake with three islands. Humble graves were unmarked or had a simple wooden cross, while the better-off had grander memorials.

You'll discover the extraordinary stories of some of those laid to rest here, including Mary Jonas, who had 33 children, including 15 sets of identical twins; Edward Langry, the husband of Edward VII's mistress, who went crazy and died in the local lunatic asylum; and William Bidulph Cross, who made his own illuminated coffin from wooden matchboxes.

What's Included

Qualified and insured Green Badge guide (2022)

Meeting Location

Meeting point

Chester CH4 7HW
UK

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Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Cemetery

The guide will give a brief description of the background and history of the cemetery, which replaced the cemeteries in the 8 parish churches within Chester city walls which were full by the mid 19th century.Stops may include the graves of famous Victorian personalities such as local architects, John Douglas and T M Lockwood, the archaeologist Professor Newstead, who excavated many sites in Chester, Dr Arthur Randall Jackson, who discovered 47 new species of spider, and the Browns William and Charles, who founded Browns Department store and saved Bishop Lloyd's palace from destruction. Others were victims of tragic accidents, such as two Hoole children who drowned after falling through the ice on a frozen pond, Marjorie Tucker an RAF driver in the 1st World War who was killed by a passing train a few weeks before the war ended, and Marie Verbinnen, a Belgian refugee who died of a heart attack just three weeks after the war's end. Thomas Hughes drowned when the Lusitania sank.

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Guided Overleigh Cemetery Tour in Chester?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (BST). Read more Apr 2025