Why this Manchester graveyard is one of the best hidden gem attractions in the UK - according to the Telegraph

The Telegraph has produced a list of 12 places it believes are Britain’s best attractions that most people have never heard of. First on the list is Southern Cemetery in Chorlton, which is free to visit, but also hosts tours for £15 plus a booking fee.

Famous names

Telegraph writer Lucy Aspden-Kean says: “Wander among the graves of some of Manchester’s most famous former residents four-and-a-half miles south of the city centre, in the suburb of Chorlton. Southern Cemetery is the largest municipal cemetery in the UK and here you can see the final resting places of the city’s first multi-millionaire, textile entrepreneur, John Rylands; Mr Manchester, Anthony Wilson, who founded Factory Records and the Hacienda nightclub; artist LS Lowry; and Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby.

“Its grand avenues of beech and plane trees, plus wildflower areas also make it a lovely place to stroll – in fact, in March 2025, a 28-hectare section of it was named as Manchester’s latest local nature reserve. Its size can make it tricky to navigate, so consider booking a tour with local guide Emma Fox who runs both private and public tours. What more? A 32-mile cycle trail, which passes through Manchester and Salford’s cemeteries, has recently been launched, too.”

Other places making the list include Samlesbury Hall in Lancashire, Woodchester Mansion in the Cotswolds, and Jupiter Artland in Edinburgh.