Series of Events Being Held at South Ealing Cemetery
Site taking part in Open House Festival and hosting planting sessions
Chapels normally closed to the public will be open this Sunday. Picture: Ealing Parks Foundation
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September 16, 2026
Ealing Parks Foundation is inviting residents to take part in a series of events at South Ealing Cemetery, offering a rare chance to explore the historic chapels, learn about the site’s natural and military heritage, and join hands-on climate-resilient planting sessions designed to support the cemetery’s ongoing restoration.
On Sunday 20 September, the cemetery will open its doors as part of Open House Festival, welcoming visitors between 11am and 4pm. The chapels, normally closed to the public, will be accessible throughout the day, allowing people to see the stained-glass windows up close and view the remarkable 1877 clock mechanism. Volunteers will be on hand to talk about the restoration project and the growing opportunities for residents to get involved in caring for the cemetery’s landscape and heritage. A pop-up café will run during the event.
Free activities will take place across the day, beginning with nature-based sessions from 11am led by Tash, including bug hunts, treasure hunts and bird-feeder making. At 11.30am, visitors can join a guided walk exploring the stories behind the Commonwealth War Graves, followed at 12.30pm by a tour of the cemetery’s natural history with John Wells. A second Commonwealth War Graves walk will run at 2.30pm. The event is open to all and forms part of the wider Open House Festival programme.
Later in the week, Ealing Parks Foundation will host two Climate Action Planting sessions on Tuesday 22 September from 10am to noon and Wednesday 23 September from 2pm to 4pm. These sessions will focus on creating climate-resilient flower beds at the South Ealing Road entrance and around the war memorial roundabout in the newer section of the cemetery. Participants will work under the guidance of a professional garden designer, learning which plants cope best with changing weather conditions and how to apply those principles in their own gardens. The sessions also offer a chance to meet the Foundation’s team and hear more about their long-term plans to restore and enhance South Ealing Cemetery.
Both events are free and open to everyone, with meeting points by the chapels at the South Ealing Road entrance (W5 4RH). The Foundation hopes the programme will encourage more local people to discover the cemetery’s heritage, support its restoration and enjoy its growing role as a community space.
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