Monument MPM1924 - John Pounds Memorial Garden

Burial ground to the former High Street Unitarian Chapel. According to Rawlinson's report of 1850 the burial ground had been in use since 1787 [1]. The latest burial register for the chapel held by the City Archive is dated 18th October 1844-21st July 1886 [2].

Rawlinson stated that the burial ground was 'formerly enclosed by high walls and lofty closed gates'. There were also large vaults beneath and behind the chapel. [1]

The burial ground is now a memorial garden. What appear to be sections of the original stone wall run along the south-west boundary [see MPM2051]. The remaining headstones and memorials have been placed along the perimeter of the site. There is a large elaborate memorial, possibly originally from inside the former chapel, attached to the wall of 127 High Street. [HER Officer notes]

The chapel was built in 1718 and was originally Presbyterian [3]. It was destroyed during a bombing raid on the 10th January 1941, and replaced by the present John Pounds Memorial Church which opened in 1956.

John Pounds, founder of the ragged school movement, was buried in the Unitarian burial ground in 1839. A monument marks the site of his grave [see MPM1739].

<1> Rawlinson, Robert, 1850, Report to the General Board of Health on a Preliminary Inquiry into the Sewerage, Drainage, and Supply of Water, and the Santitary Condition of the Inhabitants of the Borough of Portsmouth in the County of Hampshire. (Bibliographic reference). SPM345.

<2> Portsmouth City Council, ?, The Records of John Pounds Memorial Church, High Street, Portsmouth (Unpublished document). SPM522.

<3> Offord, J, 1989, Churches, Chapels and Places of Worship on Portsea Island (Bibliographic reference). SPM39.