If you’re on a ghost hunt in Birmingham, there are plenty of haunted places we might suggest. But few are as scary as Warstone Lane Cemetery in the Jewellery Quarter. (The name comes from an Ice Age-era volcanic rock that sits in the cemetery, sometimes called the Hoar Stone.)
Built back in 1847, there have been numerous spooky sightings over the years at Warstone Lane. Like the woman dressed in 1930s attire spotted walking through walls and parked cars, or the young man dressed in army gear near the catacombs. Are ghosts real? We can’t say for sure. But just the thought of this cemetery sends chills up our spine.
Though the chapel was destroyed by German bombs in 1940, Warstone Lane took on new burials until 1982. A number of famous Birmingham icons are buried here, like type designer, John Baskerville, lawn tennis pioneer, Harry Gem and George William Manley, a member of the Ancient Order of the Druids. There are also 51 Commonwealth servicemen from WWI and 13 from WWII buried here.
But not everyone who made Warstone Lane their final resting place was of high class. Arranged in a semicircle like a Roman amphitheatre, going as deep as 22 feet, the tiered catacombs are mostly filled with Birmingham’s poor. It’s believed that they died due to rampant terrible conditions in the city during the 19th century.
Though once open to the public, the catacombs have since been sealed off. But, for Birmingham Heritage Week, you can step inside these terrifying passageways once more on September 16. Several interior catacomb tours will take place letting you step inside of an open tunnel and chamber. If you dare! (You won’t be able to see any human remains or coffins.)
Warstone Lane Cemetery will also be hosting an open day on September 9.
You can drop in to discover the history of the cemetery, chat with local volunteers, find out about your own ancestry, take a tour, and go inside the catacombs. On September 10, there’ll also be a walking history tour of Warstone Lane Cemetery, viewing the exterior tiered catacombs.
All these events are ticketed, so to get yours and learn more about Birmingham Heritage Week head here.