About
Bolton Street Cemetery, formerly known as Bolton Street Memorial Park, is the oldest cemetery in Wellington, New Zealand. It was Wellington's main cemetery from 1840 until 1892. About 8000 people were buried there, including politicians and notable Wellingtonians including William Wakefield, Wellington's founder. The cemetery was split in half by a controversial motorway construction in the late 1960s. The cemetery is situated in two parts on the hillside between the Botanic Garden and the central business district and is notable for its variety of historic Victorian-era graves, many surrounded by rare heritage roses, and its picturesque setting and views over the city. It forms a popular walking route from the Botanic Garden to the central business district.
