When St Mary’s Churchyard and other burial grounds in Scarborough became overcrowded the Council bought a piece of land known as Chapman’s Field. This purchase cost £3000 and Dean Road Cemetery was created. It opened with the first interment on 28 July 1857. The Cemetery then expanded into an area in Manor Road in July 1872. The very first burial in Dean Road Cemetery was of Francis Prince, publican of The Ship Inn, Falsgrave. He died of smallpox. His headstone is a very unusual spired epitaph. It is situated near Dean Rad, opposite Roseville Avenue.

Where Dean Road has a simple layout; in the Manor Road section the vista changes into a beautiful informal arrangement of winding paths, heritage trees, an iron bridge, a Secret Garden, colourful shrubs and headstones on many levels; it is a delightful place of discovery. This was the creation of Leonard Thompson, the Cemetery Superintendent, who designed this section, his memorial is the first you see as you start your journey through the underpass.

Many people enjoy this cemetery parkland, meandering through the various sections admiring the stone masonry, fauna and flora.

The Friends of Dean Road and Manor Road Cemetery started up in 2008 and have been responsible for many improvements to the Cemetery including –

Building a cairn in memory of the Scarborough Bombardment Pruning, litter picking, and gardening tasks are carried out monthly by volunteers. Research work is ongoing, all the headstones have been recorded and various projects have been undertaken, particularly work on all WW1 casualties laid to rest, or remembered, in the cemetery.

The Dead House, behind the Chapel is open every Sunday morning (weather permitting) where second hand books, bric-a-brac and plants can be purchased. A good selection of leaflets are also available on various aspects of the cemetery.