The Cemetery’s History
Colchester Cemetery has existed for over twelve decades as a rural cemetery located in Strathcona County, Alberta.
In 1898, this one-acre site was consecrated by the Anglican Bishop of Rupert’s Land as part of the Church of England’s Calgary Diocese. Three years later, the Anglican parish of St. Stephen’s was erected on the site with Colchester Cemetery immediately outside its doors.
In 1913, the Calgary Diocese was divided into two parts, thereby creating the Synod of the Diocese of Edmonton which was formally incorporated by the Alberta Legislature in 1914. Soon thereafter, the church and cemetery land was ceded to the Edmonton Diocese. In 1915, the Edmonton Diocese physically relocated St. Stephen’s church structure to South Edmonton where it was reactivated and renamed the First Church of St. John the Evangelist. The abandoned Colchester land was neglected and became overgrown with trees, shrubs and weeds.
In 1985, the the Diocese of Edmonton rediscovered its ownership of Colchester Cemetery. Faced with the legal requirements of the Alberta Cemeteries Act (RSA 2000), (“The owner of a cemetery shall keep the cemetery in the manner required by the regulations and in good order and repair”) and a shortage of resources and personnel to allow it to assume these responsibilities, the Diocese approached the Anglican parish of St. Thomas in the nearby hamlet of Sherwood Park, and asked if it would look after the sales of burial plots, upkeep, administration, and operations of the cemetery.
A volunteer committee of St. Thomas parishioners was then created in 1987 to take on the cemetery operations. However, a dearth of historical burial records and other information for occupied plots made it difficult to identify unmarked graves in the old part of the cemetery. The Committee therefore decided to create a new plot grid plan for an area outside of the old section. It surveyed and marked new plots, installed new land markers and pledged to ensure the maintenance of complete and accurate documentation of all future burials.
Today, a St. Thomas Church volunteer Colchester Cemetery Committee still operates, administers and maintains the grounds of this Designated Strathcona County Historic Site.
We recognize the diversity of our communities and believe that all people should be treated with fairness and equity. All who choose to make Colchester Cemetery their final resting place will be welcomed and will never be turned away because of religion, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or past behaviour.
Vision
To be a cemetery with a country appearance and pastoral ambience; To preserve the history of the cemetery and the memories of those who are interred there.
Mission
To support families and others in difficult times by providing a final resting place for loved ones’ remains to lie in peace and to be remembered. As a not-for-profit and volunteer-run operation, Colchester Cemetery offers modestly-priced interment options while maintaining financial sustainability;
Values
To respect the dignity of the deceased. To provide loved ones’ families and friends, cemetery services with Christian compassion, honesty, integrity and ethical behavior;
