2 hours
E-voucher
English
Overview
Opened in 1850, Overleigh Cemetery hosts many fascinating graves and monuments that reflect Chester's rich and diverse history. Every gravestone conceals a life story waiting to be told, and every grave has a hidden history. Led by a qualified and insured Green Badge guide, tours will include visits to around 25 of the most notable graves.
Designed by a famous local architect, T.M. Penson, the cemetery was laid out "with admirable taste" and included two lodges, two chapels, and an ornamental lake with three islands. Humble graves were unmarked or had a simple wooden cross, while the better-off had grander memorials.
You'll discover the extraordinary stories of some of those laid to rest here, including Mary Jonas, who had 33 children, including 15 sets of identical twins; Edward Langry, the husband of Edward VII's mistress, who went crazy and died in the local lunatic asylum; and William Bidulph Cross, who made his own illuminated coffin from wooden matchboxes.
Operated by
Paul's Chester Tours
Ratings & Reviews
Average Rating
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27 traveller ratings
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Excellent tour
Jane_H, Jun 2026
This tour was excellent. Lots of Information. Paul was very knowledgeable about the place. So many interesting stories of the past, people who are now buried in Chester.
Fascinating
jacquipotato73, Jun 2026
My friend and I went on this guided tour yesterday. There are some fascinating stories to hear. The guide Paul was knowledgeable and more than happy to answer questions.
Fantastic tour, plethora...
Gaile_W, May 2026
Fantastic tour, plethora of information. Lived near the cemetery my whole life and you would never have known the history within it!
Paul was a fabulous guide
ashley603, May 2026
Paul Woods was a fantastic guide and very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend a historical walking tour guided by him.
Itinerary
The guide will give a brief description of the background and history of the cemetery, which replaced the cemeteries in the 8 parish churches within Chester city walls which were full by the mid 19th century.
Stops may include the graves of famous Victorian personalities such as local architects, John Douglas and T M Lockwood, the archaeologist Professor Newstead, who excavated many sites in Chester, Dr Arthur Randall Jackson, who discovered 47 new species of spider, and the Browns William and Charles, who founded Browns Department store and saved Bishop Lloyd's palace from destruction. Others were victims of tragic accidents, such as two Hoole children who drowned after falling through the ice on a frozen pond, Marjorie Tucker an RAF driver in the 1st World War who was killed by a passing train a few weeks before the war ended, and Marie Verbinnen, a Belgian refugee who died of a heart attack just three weeks after the war's end. Thomas Hughes drowned when the Lusitania sank.
2 hours
Experience
Inclusions
- Qualified and insured Green Badge guide (2022)
Additional Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Guide Languages
English
Cancellation Policy
A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.