The first Anglican minister sent to serve London was the Reverend Edward J. Boswell.  He, with the Anglican congregation, bought nine lots for a church and graveyard.  Six lots on Dundas and three were around the corner on Ridout Street.  The congregation put up the frame of St. Paul's Church in 1830.  Burials began that year, but building stopped.  The Reverend Benjamin Cronyn replaced Mr. Boswell in 1832.  Mr. Cronyn sold off the lots and bought the present site of St. Paul's at Richmond and Queens Street. That winter, the 80 foot by 40 foot frame of the church was mounted on sleds and pulled by oxen to the new site.  The church was finished in time for Christmas Services in 1833.  Burials on the grounds were already taking place and graves from the old site opposite of the courthouse were removed to the new churchyard.

In 1846, Mr.Cronyn bought 16 acres of land about a mile east of town.  He envisioned the land as an excellent cemetery.  The congregation didn't share his vision.  It was too far out in the wilderness.  In 1849, the town forbade any further interments in St. Paul's churchyard.  The rector sold the land to St. Paul's for exactly what he paid for it although the lots had risen in value six-fold in the three years since he bought them.  The first burial in the new St. Paul's Cemetery was the rector's oldest son, Thomas Cronyn, 1828.

In 1849, most of the remains and gravestones were removed from the crowded churchyard to the new cemetery. Thirty years later the city had grown and surrounded this cemetery at St. Paul's Grove.  In June, 1879 the corporation of the village of London East informed the rector and wardens that a by-law was about to be passed prohibiting further interments.  A special committee of vestry was set up and proceeded immediately to search for a new site. By the middle of August they secured a new location on the banks of the Thames River two or three miles west of the city.  It cost just under $10, 000.00 and consisted of 56 acres - later expanded to almost 100 acres.  Part of the property, previously owned by William Blinn, had been known as Woodland park and so the name Woodland was applied to the cemetery.  The first man buried in Woodland was harness maker, Charles Dunn, on December 5, 1879.  The removal of the remains from the old St. Paul's cemetery to Woodland began in May, 1880 and took six years to complete.   It involved thousands of markers and monuments, over 1,400 of those buried in the Potter's Field and hundreds who died in military service.  The 1887 Western Fair opened at its new location, a beautiful natural site known as Queens Park, where St. Paul's cemetery had been.

At the northern boundary was the cemetery wharf.  Three steamers offered passage from the foot of Dundas Street to Springbank Park and then stopped at the wharf.  On May 24, 1881, the steam boat Victoria capsized not far from the wharf and more than 180 men, women and children died.  Over 50 of the victims were laid to rest in Woodland.

The London Street Railway was given permission to build a rail bed across the north property line of the cemetery en route to Springbank Park.  For years trolley cars passed by but when they stopped running the land reverted back to the cemetery.   Today it is a popular trail for walkers, joggers and bicyclists.

To the south Woodland was bounded by the Pipe Line Road, it is now called Springbank Drive.  Funeral processions passed through the gates and in September, 1900 new gates were constructed out of red stone and iron.  The date"1879" and the name "Woodland Cemetery" were cut into the stone.

The soldiers' plot was laid out over a quiet wooded slope in 1939.  It would accommodate 1,500 graves. Today it is call the Veterans' section and only those who have served in the armed forces are buried there.

London's first crematorium was in operation by 1964.  It was designed to look like an old English stone chapel.  By 1998, cremations had risen significantly and a new crematorium with two cremators went into service.  The old stone chapel was transformed into an indoor columbarium called Woodland Sanctuary.  It has niches to hold urns in memorium.

Woodland created London's first out door columbarium in 1980.  Columbarium Park is in front of Woodland Sanctuary.  It has niches designed into the six sided columbaria and finished in red granite.  Each columbarium holds 144 niches and a total of five columbariums were in place by the year 2000.

The transfer of over 100 years of records from the cemetery's books and registers to computer files began in 1992 and took three years to complete.  In a continuing effort to preserve London's history, we encourage anyone with information on those interred at Woodland to assist us in updating or completing these files.

In 1994, the Columbarium Wall was built into the hillside near the western center of the cemetery.  It is faced with red granite.  Steps lead up to the pergola marking the wall's location below.

Woodland has been producing flat markers for its clients since the 1950's.  In the summer of 1996 a full range of standing monuments, statues, vases, urns and other memorials became available through the cemetery office.

"Chapel of the Ascension"

Light spills through the doorway highlighting the rich red carpet in the foreground and the dark stained wooden pews. Behind is the wood carved podium and the stained glass window depicting the Ascension of Christ. The scene is surrounded by white marble walls reflecting the hues of this white oaken decor. The chapel is available for services at Woodland Cemetery.

In 2000, the creation of a scattering garden for ashes (cremains) was developed and is now being used.  It is located south of Pixley Mausoleum.  In the future it will be developed with circular walls and niches.

The Wardens of St. Paul's Cathedral took charge of the cemetery for the first 30 years.   Their names include: Henry D. Long, Richard Bayly, John Labatt, William J. Reid, T. Herbert Marsh, George Laing, John S. Perce, W.T. Strong, J. Mattinson, H.E.Gates, F.W. Farncombe, C.B. Hunt, E. Paull and Dr. Moorehouse.  Most of these wardens are buried at Woodland.

In 1909, a full time manager was hired.  He was Franklin Gilbert who held the position for 38 years before retiring in 1947.  Mr W.A. Noble followed until his retirement in 1966.  Lloyd Vanstone became the manager and served until 1987 when James Marquis began as only the fourth manager in Woodland Cemetery's history.

Extras
A photo walk
Ontario Associations of Cemeteries
St Paul's Cathedral
City of London