by Stroud Local History Society shows that there has always been an appreciation of the unique position and design of the cemetery.
Kellys' Directory of 1870 describes the cemetery as "large and laid out on an elevated piece of ground (near the Union House) in 1855, when the old church yard was closed; it is beautifully situated on a slope commanding an extensive view, and is a favourite Sunday resort and promenade".
On the 6th September 1856, the Gloucester Journal describing the Consecration of Stroud Cemetery said "The Church portion of the new cemetery on Stroud Hill was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese on Monday last. About forty of the clergy were present and there was a very large concourse of people. The morning was exceedingly fine and favourable. The new cemetery is a very pretty and advantageous site. It is a sloping piece of ground five or six acres in extent, situated about a quarter of a mile out of town, on the road to Bisley and commands an extensive and delightful view.
It has been tastefully laid out with shrubs and walks by Mr. W. Foster, Nurseryman.
In 1854, several burial grounds in Stroud had become insufficient in size and dangerous to health and, with the threat of closure from the Secretary of State, a new cemetery had to be created. An extensive site of approximately six acres was purchased from Mr Joseph Watts for the sum of £756.00. The site has extensive and delightful views on the southern slope of Stroud Hill, on the lower side of Bisley Road, and commands superb views of the Cotswold area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and on into Wales.
The twin chapels, surmounted by a spire and the original entrance lodge were designed, in decorated Gothic, by the local architects, Messrs Baker and Son, 3 Albert Buildings, Stroud, and built to a high standard of stone masonry. The overall cost (excluding the land) was £2,800.00.
The cemetery grounds were divided into three areas, Church of England (which was consecrated by Dr. Baring, The Lord Bishop of the Diocese in September 1856), Non-Conformists, and paupers. The pauper's area was directly opposite the Union Workhouse in Bisley Road. On the 4th September 1856, William Lewis, a pauper from the workhouse, was the first person to be interred.
Another resident of the workhouse was Sara Dancey Face, who died aged 100 years and 47 days and was buried in the pauper area in December 1863. She was a poor, but respected member of the Society of Wesleyans in Acre Street and one of her earliest memories was that she had once cleaned the shoes of John Wesley, when he was on one of his visits to his Society in Stroud.