Reading Old Cemetery: Beyond the Junction Arch
Will be published approx. on 21. October 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
978-1-915048-33-2 (ISBN)
Description
If you travel across East Reading, you will most likely pass through Cemetery Junction, a bustling crossroads where Wokingham Road meets London Road. The name points to the significant site that gave the junction its name: the cemetery located between these two roads. Now commonly referred to as Reading Old Cemetery, it served the town for over a century and was mainly active between the years 1843 to 1959.
With over 250 war graves from both World Wars, four Grade II listed monuments (including the impressive Bath-stone gatehouse), and five trees registered in the Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Inventory, it has received formal recognition as a heritage asset by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, as a Grade II listed park and garden in the Register of the Historic Parks and Gardens by Historic England, and as a designated Local Wildlife Site by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.
Reading Old Cemetery is a much-loved community site, valued for its natural beauty, rich biodiversity, and historical significance. This beautifully illustrated book shares insights into the history of the cemetery, its graves and monuments, its plants and wildlife, and much more. We hope to encourage readers of all ages to connect more closely with this remarkable place.
With over 250 war graves from both World Wars, four Grade II listed monuments (including the impressive Bath-stone gatehouse), and five trees registered in the Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Inventory, it has received formal recognition as a heritage asset by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, as a Grade II listed park and garden in the Register of the Historic Parks and Gardens by Historic England, and as a designated Local Wildlife Site by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.
Reading Old Cemetery is a much-loved community site, valued for its natural beauty, rich biodiversity, and historical significance. This beautifully illustrated book shares insights into the history of the cemetery, its graves and monuments, its plants and wildlife, and much more. We hope to encourage readers of all ages to connect more closely with this remarkable place.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Reading
United Kingdom
Illustrations
Fully illustrated in colour
Dimensions
Height: 200 mm
Width: 200 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-915048-33-2 (9781915048332)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Yota Dimitriadi is a Professor of Computing Education at the Institute of Education, University of Reading. Her work on equity, diversity, and inclusion led her to the field of death studies. Since 2016, she has been active in raising awareness and fostering open discussion around grief support and bereavement training in educational settings. She has organised family- and school-focused events and workshops on grief and bereavement, and she also collaborates with the local charity Daisy's Dream, organising bereavement training for pre-service and in-service teachers. Since 2020, Yota has led a project on the social history of Reading Old Cemetery, bringing together her interests in education, heritage, and community engagement.