Pitt Town Burial Ground

This cemetery is one of several which have existed in the Pitt Town area since European settlement in 1788.

The site for the town of Pitt Town was re-surveyed in 1815, because the site chosen by Macquarie in 1810 was deemed unsuitable by the local settlers. Accordingly, the new site for the town was surveyed and a plot of land was chosen for a burial ground adjacent to the town area. The survey map signed by Macquarie is available for purchase from NSW State Archives https://mhnsw.au/collections/state-archives-collection/ Map No 4796. In 1815, land was also set aside for a school and a village reserve. The land previously granted to John Benn (also known as John Newman or John Venman) in 1803 was relinquished for the use of the township.

The survey map shows the location of this cemetery near to what is now the cornerof Eldon and Wellesley Streets, Pitt Town. The burial ground is also marked on the LTO Charting Map for Pitt Town which is freely available online from https://hlrv.nswlrs.com.au/

Excerpt from the LTO Charting Map for Pitt town 1881

The burial ground may have been in use until 1823 when a new cemetery was then designated further away from the town centre in what is now Old Pitt Town Road. Unfortunately there is no list of burials which took place on the 1815-1823 site which is now built over with houses. Settlers may have also continued to be buried on their properties despite Macquarie’s insistance in 1811 that all burials take place in the designated burial grounds.

Death records in NSW prior to compulsory registration in 1856 were compiled from church registers. The Burial Register for St James’ Church of England, Pitt Town commenced in 1826, which is after the period that this burial ground may have been in use. Before 1826, burials were sometimes recorded in the register of St Matthew’s Church of England, Windsor which commenced in 1811. Burials listed at Pitt Town include that of James Pewlett (Peaulet) who was buried at Pitt Town in 1820.

Location of Pitt Town Burial Ground

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