Essex Farm Cemetery
Essex Farm Cemetery
4.5
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
535 reviews
Excellent
356
Very good
155
Average
23
Poor
1
Terrible
0
Andrew F
Liverpool, UK5 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
This is exactly how I would have expected to find this place, a very somber, thought provoking place. I came here near the end of a trip around Europe with my two teenage sons, who both have an interest in WWII history. All the time we were there, we didn't say a word to each other. We wandered around, doing our own thing, and just took it all in. A lot of graves have names on, but there are some unnamed graves. As well as the graves there are memorials here too to various regiments. Hard to imagine that the now cemetery in the middle of a built area on the outskirts of Ypres was the centre of some major battles.
Written November 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JennifersJourneys
Chicago, IL19 contributions
Mar 2020
I visited Essex Farm Cemetery yesterday as part of a private tour. We visited the Dressing Station where John McCrae worked. It was an energy filled space - some heavy, some ok. It was an interesting experience for me, a medium and empath, to be aware of who is still hanging around there. I learned a lot about the history of WWI there from our guide. It was a very rainy day so we did not walk the cemetery but as all CWGC are, it was well maintained and peaceful.
Written March 6, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cags1970
Liverpool215 contributions
Jan 2012 • Couples
This a very moving place that contains the grave of the youngest soldier, or one of them, to die during the war.
Rifleman Valentine Joe Strudwick, number 5750, 8th Battalion The Rifle Brigade, was aged 15 when he died on 14th January 1916. He is one of the youngest British casualties of the Great War.
This boy soldier was the son of Louisa Strudwick of 70, Orchard Road, Dorking, Surrey.
His final resting place is to be found in Essex Farm cemetery at Grave Reference: Plot I. Row U. Grave 8.
Rest in Peace all you brave men.
Rifleman Valentine Joe Strudwick, number 5750, 8th Battalion The Rifle Brigade, was aged 15 when he died on 14th January 1916. He is one of the youngest British casualties of the Great War.
This boy soldier was the son of Louisa Strudwick of 70, Orchard Road, Dorking, Surrey.
His final resting place is to be found in Essex Farm cemetery at Grave Reference: Plot I. Row U. Grave 8.
Rest in Peace all you brave men.
Written March 17, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda R
Salisbury, UK627 contributions
May 2014 • Couples
Everyone mentions John McCrae and his famous poem when they mention this graveyard. But there is a young boy also in this graveyard called Joe Strudwick who died aged 15. He was born on 14th February 1900 and was christened Valentine but was known as Joe. His grave is number is 1U8 but is normally full of crosses and poppies so you will not miss it.
Probably not one of the quietest graveyards you will ever visit because it is right next to a main road and the fact that there always a lot of coaches groups visiting. But while you are there go down the N38, there is a very quiet graveyard called Brandhoek New Military Cemetery virtually in the back garden of someone's house , this contains a double VC medic called Captain Noel Chavasse.
Probably not one of the quietest graveyards you will ever visit because it is right next to a main road and the fact that there always a lot of coaches groups visiting. But while you are there go down the N38, there is a very quiet graveyard called Brandhoek New Military Cemetery virtually in the back garden of someone's house , this contains a double VC medic called Captain Noel Chavasse.
Written January 9, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terry P
Arlington, United States71 contributions
Sep 2019
As with all the cemeteries strewn throughout the Ypes countryside, this one was very well kept, you could see that the nearby residents take pride in honoring the fallen
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TeamWard
Nottingham, UK5,176 contributions
May 2019 • Friends
We visited late morning and got park just outside, used the register to guide to the plot we were looking for and its all in immaculate condition, then a group of school kids arrived they couldn't have looked less interested, hang you heads in shame.
Written May 27, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
afrobain
Fife, UK160 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
this was 1 of many stops on the day, this is where john mccrae wrote the poem in flanders field, like every other cemetery it is imaculate, sitting beside a canal and just to the side of the cemetry there are a few concrete bunkers which was the aid clearing stations
Written April 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary G
Penzance, UK85 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
This is thought to be the area in which John McCrea fought and wrote the poem 'In Flanders fields the poppies blow..'
There are some concrete dugouts here which were used as dressings stations. Very interesting.
There are some concrete dugouts here which were used as dressings stations. Very interesting.
Written April 3, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BubblyJubbly
Cuffley, UK112 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
We actually found this cemetery and dressing station quite difficult to find as our guide book and map had it marked as the John McCrea memorial site, which meant we almost missed it as, although right on the main road, the words 'Essex Farm Cemetery' are not obvious on the engraving on the cross of rememberance. I'm so glad we twigged what it was all about though as this place will stay in my memory. John McCrea wrote the famous poem 'Flanders Fields' here and amongst the dead lying here is a 15 year old boy. So moving. Beside the cemetery are the concrete bunkers that were constructed as an advanced dressing station some time after the original makeshift facilities that were built into the canal bank just a few yards away. This site is obviously well visited as some of the more obvious paths between the graves have been laid with fake grass. It doesn't really spoil it though. It's next to a busy road, so it's not as peaceful as some of the cemeteries, but it's definitely worth visiting.
Written June 3, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A R
London, UK192 contributions
Nov 2016 • Friends
So beautifully kept, so humbling and moving. All these young lives wasted. We were there at sunset which just added to the experience.
Written November 12, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I have been there two or 3 times, but forget where that young 15 y/o soldier lies buried. Also, there was a 60+ y/o soldier buried there. Where might these 2 graves be located. (I shall be back there in late May, 2018) Thanks in advance.
Scott Clare,
Ontario, CANADA
travelleratheart2015
Amsterdam, The Netherlands57 contributions
V.j Strudwick is the 15 year old boy - (Plot I, Row U, Grave 8)
Lindyp0ps2015
Broughton, UK
Hello! I am planning to visit Ypres in October and want to visit the cemetery. All I can find online are tours that are four days long and I don't have four days. Are we able to visit the cemetery without a tour guide? Do I need to book? Also, what are the costs?
Thanks!
Linda
Martin G
Barnsley, UK87 contributions
The best way to visit Essex Farm is by car as it is very accessible, all the CWGC cemeteries are free to visit, and are open everyday of the year. the theory that you need a tour guide to visit these places is a myth, all you need is to research and read books, I would also advise on purchasing old first world war trench maps on Ebay, you can then match it up with the present roads, but more than likely the roads haven't changed at all, if you study well in advance you won't struggle and you will find it very rewarding too,
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Frequently Asked Questions about Essex Farm Cemetery
- Hotels near Essex Farm Cemetery:
- (2.18 mi) Back2Front B&B
- (3.35 mi) B&B Hoeve 37
- (3.91 mi) B&B @Room's
- (4.36 mi) Albion Hotel
- (4.26 mi) La Porte Cochere
- Restaurants near Essex Farm Cemetery:
- (1.82 mi) Hostellerie Saint-Nicolas
- (4.21 mi) A L' Envers
- (4.22 mi) Restaurant Captain Cook
- (4.15 mi) Yathida Noodle House
- (3.91 mi) Ariane restaurant
Essex Farm Cemetery Information
Excellent Reviews | 356 |
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Very Good Reviews | 155 |
Essex Farm Cemetery Photos | 412 |