Malpas Cemetery – A brief History

View of the Chapel of Rest in the Malpas Cemetery

Part of the Land Registry Title

Malpas Cemetery – A brief History

A cemetery differs from a Church Yard in that anyone can be buried there, regardless of their religious beliefs.

The Burial Act 1853, empowered local vestries to elect burial boards to administer cemeteries and burial grounds. Malpas Burial Board was established in 1873 when the St Oswald's Churchyard cemetery was almost full.

With its first chairman as the Reverend C.W. Cox, Malpas Joint Burial Board was, on the 15th July 1873, duly formed and constituted for the Ecclesiastical Parish of Malpas excepting the Ecclesiastical Parishes of Holy Trinity Bickerton, St Chad's Tushingham and Township of Iscoyd; such area consisting of the civil parishes or Townships of Malpas, Bickley (part), Cholmondeley, Hampton, Edge, Overton, Chorlton, Cuddington, Oldcastle, Newton-by-Malpas, Stockton, Wigland and Wychough.

A site for the new burial ground in Stonepit Field amounting to 2 ½ acres of land were purchased from the Marques of Cholmondeley for £250.

The board borrowed the money to purchase the land and build the lodge and the chapel of rest from the government or as it was known then, "Public Works and Commerce".

The Burial Board borrowed just over £1,500. This was repaid over 50 years.

In 1887 an advert was placed in the press for a Sexton (Officer of the Church) and Caretaker.

In 1897, the board was renamed Malpas Joint Burial Committee.

Chapel of Rest Clock
The clock on the chapel of rest was made by local clockmaker Arthur Drummond Callcott.

The Calcott family were prominent in the local area and Richard Calcott, a Wheelwright from Chorlton, was the first person to purchase a plot in the cemetery for one pound and one shilling for his wife and himself.
This was on the 6th April 1875, when his wife, Ann Calcott became the first internee. Richard survived Ann by 27 years was buried in the same grave on 2nd July 1902.

The grave was recorded as being 9 feet deep and the headstone to them both was erected on 29th July 1903 at a cost of eleven shillings and six pence.

Constitution Updated.
On 28th January 1924, Cheshire County Council made an order that allowed the parishes of Cholmondeley, and Bickley to cease being part of the Malpas Joint Burial Committee.

From 1st April 1974, under a Local Government Reorganisation scheme, it was deemed that cemeteries were to be the responsibility of town or parish councils.

Malpas Parish Council Minutes. 9 June 1975

Malpas Joint Burial Committee has informed the parish council that the burial committee had ceased to exist on 18 April 1974, and would the parish council wish it to be reconstituted?
The action recorded was the parish council would clarify the position with the District Council (i.e. the new Chester City Council)

16 June 1975 -Resolution:

That the Malpas Board Joint Committee be reconstituted under Section 24 of the Local Government Act 1972 Schedule 26 to represent the following parishes – Malpas, Hampton, Chorlton, Cuddington, Edge, Oldcastle, Newton, Stockton, Wigland, Overton, Bradley and Wychough. The resolution was passed unanimously."

10 November 1983 -Constitution of New Burial Board:

Mr Craddock who at that time was chairman of both the Parish Council and the Burial Committee, informed the meeting that
"by Law we are not recognised as a proper Burial Board – so we should reconstitute a new Board within the law.
We are prepared to constitute a new Burial Board on the old constitution.
The old minute books are to be placed in the City Council's archives."

AOB:
Mr Craddock stated that we must establish ownership of the cemetery.

9 March 1984 -Matters arising:

A legal document would have to be drawn up to establish ownership of the cemetery."

Chairman's Report:
Another possible suggestion to raise funds for renovation of Cemetery House was that the Board should approach the thirteen Parish Councils involved in the Joint Burial Committee with regards to precepting money on our behalf i.e. 2p rate on Local Rates."

24 April 1986 – Future Policy:

Sub Committee from City Council have been appointed to find out how the business of the Joint Burial Committee (JBC) is conducted.
Both Chairman and Vice Chairman expressed the opinion that this would be the ideal opportunity for the City Council to agree to taking over the running of Malpas Cemetery.

16 September 1986 – Meeting:

Meeting with "ten representatives of Chester City Council – as one of the main purposes of the meeting was to discuss the future of Malpas Joint Burial Committee" since the chairman and "the JBC felt that it was time that the City Council should take over the running, management and ownership of Malpas Cemetery, instead of leaving it to a voluntary body.

NB.There would appear to have been no formal response (and no reference to an informal response) from the City Council recorded in the Minutes following this meeting.

19 April 1993 – Cemetery House:

One of the main problems concerning grants for repair work is caused by our inability to establish ownership of Cemetery Lodge and Land as there is no evidence of deeds.
Mr Craddock wants to establish ownership in the name of the City Council – proposed "that we pursue it."
Arrangements are being made for a site meeting with Members of the Board and the City Council to discuss necessary maintenance work on Cemetery House.

23 August 1993 -Matters arising:

The Chairman wishes it to be noted that the Cemetery land had been purchased by the Board via a loan from the Public Works Loan Board."

Chairman's Report:
Meeting held on 11/5/93 when various members of the Board met representatives of the City Council. They inspected the house and looked at necessary work.

Establishment of Ownership of the Cemetery:
Before the City Council forward any finance we must establish ownership.
The Chairman examined the Archives and it appears that since 1974 we have no longer the right to precept on local parishes.
Mr Craddock will have to sign an affidavit concerning his knowledge of the burial Board .
He was appointed to the board on 17/4/48 and has been Chairman since 16/5/56 and no-one has ever made any claims to the land.

14 March 1996 -Chairman's Report:
Negotiations are now complete to establish the Board as the owners of the Cemetery land, valued at between £110,000 and £120,000; this had incurred a bill of £230 to the Land Registry for Registration in our name."

Note:
The cemetery was officially registered with the Land Registry on 18th of December 1995, under the absolute title of:
Malpas, Hampton, Chilton, Buddington, Edge, Oldcastle, Newton Stockton, Wigland, Overton, Bradley and Wychough.
The entry refers to the deeds as having been lost.

(Note:It is assumed that Chilton was actually Chorlton parish and Buddington was actually Cuddinton Parish)
.

Current Operational Situation

On average, the cemetery has between 8 and 12 new grave burials per year and the same of reopening of existing graves.
In addition an average of 4 to 6 interments of cremated remains per year take place.

However recent years have seen a decline in burials due to a number of factors.
These being:
a/ Family members tend today to live further away from their parents and grandparents so are less likely to want to come back and tend to a family grave.
b/ Cremation is cheaper.
c/ A memorial stone on a grave can cost more than £1,500.

There are 31 Church Yards and Cemeteries in the Cheshire West and Chester Council catchment area, and Malpas was one of the last to employ a resident caretaker and grave digger

Running costs for Malpas Cemetery are in 2023 were around £23,000 per year.
This includes Insurance, water and electric supply, maintenance and repairs.

The cemetery does receive £8,800 in grant aid from Cheshire West and Chester Council, but this amount has not been increased since 2008.

At April 2014 there were over 4,300 people buried in the cemetery, and there were still 350 new plots available, and burial plots can still be purchased.

Footnote:
This article was put together from various sources including copies of the original Burial Board Record books and the Malpas Parish Council minute books.

Anyone considering using the facility should contact the Burial Board secretary for the current terms and conditions.
Enquiries should be made by email to: malpasjointburialboard@hotmail.com

Chris Whitehurst
Information updated
October 2025