Over 130 years ago, the then village council, known as the Vestry, decides that a new burial ground was required after the grave yard at St Thomas a Becket had insufficient space. On 26th January 1858, the Vestry decided to create a “Burial Board which was to obtain the land for the new cemetery, lay out the site, arrange for the construction of a chapel, lodge and entrance gates and then to manage the cemetery.”
The land was given by a Mr Northey and was described as “part of a field adjoining the Turnpike Road, known as Nap Stile of Great Lye Mead.” It was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of Gloucester & Bristol on the 9th December 1858 “for the interment of the dead, according to the rites of the United Church of England & Wales.”
Parish Councils were established by Act of Parliament in 1894 and the affairs of the Burial Board subsequently came under the jurisdiction of the new Parish Council, instead of the Vestry. One year later in April 1896, the Burial Board met and resolved to hand over its authority to the Parish Council. So from that date the affairs of the Cemetery, or more accurately – the Burial Grounds, have been managed by a Committee of Box Parish Council. Almost five decades later it became necessary to extend the Burial Grounds, so in 1943 a further area of land was purchased. And became known as the New Cemetery. Additional land has been purchased to the south for future expansion. The Chapel, Lodge and Entrance Gates are grade II listed.
This committee also looks after the War Memorial.