History of St Mary's churchyard

Photo of the graveyard at St Mary's church

Consecrated ground around the church has been used as a burial place for centuries. The tradition of marking a grave with a memorial inscription of stone is a more recent process although the landed gentry often placed memorials inside the churches such as the monument to the Leigh Family (16th C) by the altar and the 'Addington Pickle Jar to Barlow Trecothick who built Addington Place and died in 1775. It is thought that wooden graveboards were probably used here at Addington to mark graves but these deteriorate very quickly - a couple of modern examples exist to the east of the church.

A survey was carried out around 1911, we believe by William Mills, a local historian who lived at Broadcombe, a hamlet on Coombe Road and sang in the choir. His survey was hand drawn on paper backed parchment and has added details of the graves where he knew the occupation or hobby. These are now deposited at Surrey Record Office, our diocesan record office at Woking and digital copies can now be referred to when trying to locate a grave.

East Surrey Family History Society surveyed the churchyard in 1994. They documented 1053 graves recording the type of monument as well as the inscription. This is a valuable document as only a decade later, some of these inscriptions are now illegible.

In addition to these documents, the burial registers hold details of burial plots in some cases. All registers prior to 1996 are held at Woking but we have transcribed copies of all burials back to 1559.

The churchyard has been extended several times to accommodate further graves.

7th November 1849 - A new portion of the churchyard was consecrated being glebe land of the Parish of Addington, given up for the purpose by the Revd. Matthew Farrer - Plaque to commemorate this on wall of vestry. (Western section between church hall and Archbishop's memorial).

Consecration of a new burial ground by the Bishop of Croydon (Archdeacon E S Woods) took place in July 1931 - A Photograph of this was published in the Croydon times of 18th July 1931 - this appears to be the eastern extension on the site of the demolished cottages next to Flint Cottage (demolished c1897).

The Churchyard was deemed full in 1977 and closed to new plots. Burial is only permitted of ashes or in existing graves if there is space. Croydon council currently maintain the churchyard.