Friends of Key Hill and Warstone Lane Cemeteries
Friends of Key Hill Cemetery & Warstone Lane Cemetery who are all volunteers, officially formed in 2004 and are the only group to care for the cemeteries as well as raising funds for damaged and broken graves aiding the Friends restoration fund. This is achieved via membership, guided cemetery tours, catacomb tours, talks and presentations, sales at open days and history fairs , plus donations, this revenue aids the Friends Grave Restoration Fund for damaged & broken graves.
Non-denominational Key Hill Cemetery was Birmingham’s first cemetery (not being a church yard) and was formally known as The General Cemetery 1836
Neighbouring Church of England Warstone Lane Cemetery was Birmingham’s second cemetery 1848
Both cemeteries were privately owned, and both cemeteries have catacombs.
The cemeteries fell into decline when the cemeteries became full and did not generate an income.
pictured - catacombs in Key Hill Cemetery
Detailed Information
Contacts:
Key Hill cemetery. Address:
Icknield Street, Hockley, Birmingham B18 6PL
Warstone Lane cemetery. Address:
Warstone Lane, Hockley
Birmingham, B18 6NN
KEY HILL cemetery
Key Hill cemetery formally known as The General cemetery opened in 1836 by a group of businessmen who formed the Birmingham Cemetery Company to solve the shortage of burial space in Birmingham.
This was not only Birmingham’s first cemetery ( not being a church yard) but also a privately owned.
The cemetery sometimes known as Kaye Hill, was not consecrated which allowed for the burial all religions and none.
In 1952 the Cemetery Company was dissolved, and the cemetery was purchased by Birmingham City Council. In 1966 the chapel was demolished and many unsafe gravestones were laid flat. 1 October -31 March 8.30am-4pm 1 April -30 September 8.30am-7pm How to get here: On foot, from Vyse Street, walk down Pitsford Street , turn right under the railway bridge to Key Hill cemetery. By car A4540, The cemetery gates are in Icknield Street almost facing Park Road South near Key Hill circus. Multi-storey car park in Vyse Street. By rail, Train and Tram stops at the Jewellery Quarter Station in Vyse Street ( just one stop from Snow Hill station) By bus. Hockley Bus 8a, 8c and 101 from Birmingham city centre to Chamberlain clock at Warstone Lane walk to Vyse Street. Bus 16 &74 to Great Hampton Street walk to Vyse Street. Note: both Key Hill cemetery & Warstone Lane cemetery have entrances in Icknield Street with the railway line and Pitsford street separating the two cemeteries Key Hill cemetery has black gates and railings, neigbouring Warstone Lane cemetery has red gates and railings. 
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This cemetery is Grade II* listed and features catacombs.
Key Hill cemetery has benefited from restoration in recent years.
WARSTONE Lane cemetery
Warstone Lane Cemetery named after the Warstone or Hoarstone, an erratic glacial boulder of volcanic rock that marked the parish boundary and the meeting point of the manors of Birmingham, Aston and Handsworth.
This Church of England cemetery was opened and consecrated adjacent to Key Hill Cemetery in 1848. As a burial ground of the established church, distinctions were made in the size and style of the chapel which had direct access via a hydraulic lift to the three levels of catacombs. The cemetery suffered bomb damage during WWII and so it and its cloisters were demolished in 1952 when the Cemetery came under the management of the city council.
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The cemetery is Grade II listed and has unique semicircular catacombs.
Warstone Lane cemetery has benefited from restoration in recent years, this cemetery is sometimes known as Brookfields cemetery or The Mint cemetery (production of coins being made close by)
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Note: both Key Hill cemetery & Warstone Lane cemetery have entrances in Icknield Street with the railway line and Pitsford street separating the two cemeteries. Warstone Lane cemetery has red gates and railings, neigbouring Key Hill cemetery has black gates and railings
Opening times:
1 October -31 March 8.30am-4pm
1 April -30 September 8.30am-7pm
How to get here:
By car A4540, The cemetery gates are in Icknield Street almost facing Park Road South near Key Hill circus.
Multi-storey car park in Vyse Street.
By rail, train and tram stops at the Jewellery Quarter Station in Vyse Street ( just one stop from Snow Hill station)
By bus. Hockley Bus 8a, 8c and 101 from Birmingham city centre to Chamberlain clock at Warstone Lane walk to Vyse Street.
Bus 16 &74 to Great Hampton Street walk to Vyse Street.
Entrances for Warstone Lane cemetery, are in Vyse Street, Pitsford Street, Icknield Street & Warstone Lane.