Brookwood brings together several distinct travel interests: Brookwood Cemetery combines a significant cemetery history with a Grade I listing as a park and garden, as well as an extensive collection of giant sequoias. Brookwood Military Cemetery has its own focus on Commonwealth remembrance. There is also a historic chapel, now St Edward the Martyr Orthodox Church, and the Saturn Cycle Route. So when planning your visit, it is worth first considering whether you want to explore Brookwood primarily through its cemetery and religious history, or via a named cycling connection.

Brookwood Cemetery: Cemetery and Parkland

Brookwood Cemetery was founded in 1852 by the London Necropolis Company and is the largest cemetery in the United Kingdom. Its founding provides a concrete historical starting point, while its size gives that history a significance beyond the region.

The site is listed as a Grade I park and garden. It also has an extensive collection of giant sequoias. Together, these features add a landscape perspective: Brookwood Cemetery combines cemetery history with a listed park and garden and a remarkable collection of trees.

Commonwealth Remembrance in Brookwood

Brookwood Military Cemetery is the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the United Kingdom. It is also the only cemetery of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) with two Crosses of Sacrifice and two Stones of Remembrance. In addition to its size, specific elements of its memorial architecture are also identified.

The distinction between the themes can help with your travel plans: Brookwood Cemetery represents cemetery history and parkland, while Brookwood Military Cemetery is devoted to Commonwealth war remembrance. You can therefore choose the focus of your trip based on which of these themes you would like to explore more closely.

The Chapel and the History of the Saint Edward Brotherhood

The larger Anglican chapel on the grounds of Brookwood Cemetery was completed around 1909; today it is St Edward the Martyr Orthodox Church. This local history has two distinct aspects: the building’s Anglican history and its present-day Orthodox identity.

Another strand of its history is the Saint Edward Brotherhood. It was founded in 1982 to serve as custodians of the holy relics of Saint Edward the Martyr, King of England. The relics were venerated in Brookwood, Surrey, in 1984. The religious theme therefore encompasses both a building with a present-day Orthodox identity and a dated history of veneration of the relics.

After the liturgy, everyone is invited to coffee and a community breakfast. If you would like to include this in your travel plans, check the current service schedule before your trip.

Exploring the Saturn Cycle Route

The Saturn Cycle Route offers a different way to experience Brookwood. It runs from Brookwood via Woking town centre along the Basingstoke Canal towpath to New Haw. The route description therefore identifies both the place it passes through and a specific stretch alongside the canal.

This makes a useful difference when planning your trip: the cemeteries, chapel and history of the relics are cultural and commemorative themes; the Saturn Cycle Route is a specific option if cycling is to be the main focus. This allows you to understand Brookwood through the themes actually described, without combining the historic sites and the route into a single outing.

Discover more destinations: Hersham, Sunbury-On-Thames, Peaslake, Horley, Pirbright, East Horsley, Dorking, Tatsfield

For the wider travel overview: Surrey.