Walsall Council is set to start a £70,000 scheme to carry out repairs and improvements to a cemetery in Willenhall.Wood Street Cemetery was originally a Wesleyan Methodist cemetery and dates back to at least the 1840’s. Although the cemetery is closed for new burials it remains open to the public to visit and is therefore an important piece of Willenhall’s rich and diverse heritage.

Work is set to commence on Monday 2nd March to repair damage to memorials, pathways and boundary walls and is expected to last for approximately six weeks.

There are a number of mature trees on site that are causing root damage to paths and memorials, overshadowing other vegetation and some branches are at risk of collapse.

Sections of pathways may be temporarily closed to allow safe working on trees and memorials.

Commenting on the proposals Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires, chair of the Willenhall Partnership said, “£70,000 falls well short of the original amount that the council said it had put aside for this project, but at least it’s a start.

“It is hoped that the “Friends of Wood Street Cemetery” group working through the “Partnership” will be able to attract grant funding from other sources to help bring Wood Street Cemetery back to its former glory.”

Wood Street Cemetery, along with the Lock Museum and other notable buildings from Willenhall’s past are to be included in the “Willenhall Heritage Trail” which is being explored through the town’s Regeneration Project Reference Group.