top of page
182188775_940916796719653_4975541668080354700_n.jpg

Welcome to the

Friends of

Key Hill Cemetery &

Warstone Lane Cemetery

Raising funds for grave restoration, preserving our history & caring for the community.
Learn more About Us.

Working to protect our historical cemeteries

The Friends of Key Hill Cemetery was established in 2004 by a small group of people, concerned at the deterioration  of the cemetery and alarmed at the potential loss of an important part of Birmingham’s Heritage. In 2009 Warstone Lane Cemetery was included, combining both the Jewellery Quarter Cemeteries.

We would like to thank The Jewellery Quarter Cemeteries Project for funding and support over the last 2 years.

Tours and volunteering

440px-Key_Hill_Cemetery_OS_25_inch_1903.jpg

Key Hill Cemetery Tours

Second Sunday of the month except December, starting at 2pm

220px-Warstone_Lane_Cemetery_OS_25_inch_1903_edited.jpg

Warstone Lane Cemetery Tours

Second Sunday of the month except December, starting at 12 noon

Catacombs Key Hill Jq Fest 22 MF 4.jpg

Key Hill Cemetery Catacomb Tours 

May 4th 2024

Catacomb Tours Warstone JQ Fest 22.jpg

Warstone Lane Cemetery Catacomb Tours

4th May 2024

Jan 2022 Litter  pick , R.J .  Team - Hi Vis vests 2 .jpg

Litter picks

Join us to care for our cemeteries

STALL Open day Warstone Lane.jpg

Open days

Meet the Friends events

Make a Donation

Volunteer Your Time

Email to donate

Uncovered Colin canal man (2).jpg
Friends tour 1_edited_edited.jpg

Membership and tour enquiries

Thanks for submitting! We’ll be in touch soon

Grave enquires

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Thanks for submitting!

Gravestones.jpg

Our reviews and recommendations

We love to hear about your experience on our tours and about our research work

Through the gates we peer
On the grounds we tread
Every step a story
A secret entombed forever
Laid to rest
In the peaceful garden
Of the grave yard
By J. Keast 

Key Hill Gates_edited_edited.jpg

Our news and stories

News Subtitle

Fred- Wakeling - suffragettes_edited_edited_edited.jpg

Frederick WAKELING, Suffragette supporter

Frederick WAKELING  1888-1948  was a  supporter of the Women’s Suffrage movement.
Frederick along with his fellow men,   dressed up in their wives and sister’s clothes and marched into Birmingham with placards in support for females to have the right to vote . 

The suffragettes were firm believers in "Deeds, not words",
Here is a studio photograph of Frederick WAKELING holding a placard dressed in female clothing and holding a "Votes for Women" placard.
Frederick is buried in Key Hill Cemetery.

The Hoarstone or Warstone in Warstone Lane Cemetery

The  famous Warstone  or  Hoarstone

The Warstone / Hoarstone    is a glacial made from the volcanic rock  which was carried here from Wales by glacial ice . 
The Warstone was used as a Parish boundary where the manors of Birmingham ,  Aston,  and Handsworth met.  The stone has been in existence for thousand of years.
Today the stone rests on a plinth and  it is situated in Warstone Lane Cemetery , near the Lodge in Warstone Lane .
    The  plinth  that the stone rests on , has  the following inscription:

This felsite boulder was deposited near here. by a glacier during the Ice Age: being at onetime used as a parish boundary mark, it was known as the ‘Hoar Stone’ of which the modern War Stone is a corruption”.

Home: News & Updates
BHF Logo.jpg

We are members of
Birmingham Heritage Forum

Birmingham Heritage Forum members are organisations concerned with collections, historic sites, museums, galleries, churches, gardens and visitor services, within the Birmingham area.

bottom of page