The cemetery was opened in several parts. The oldest part of the cemetery dates to 1854 and was opened at a cost of £1,800. It had two mortuary chapels designed by Arthur Wilson (one Church of England and one Non-conformist) which were linked by a porch. These were demolished in the 1970s. It also had a cemetery lodge designed by James Fowler which still exists as a private home. In the 1854 cemetery is a separate Catholic cemetery. In the 1890s the town cemetery was extended to land on the other side of the canal, with the two halves linked by a bridge. In the 1950s a donation of land was made by the Catholic church to extend the 1890 cemetery. This land had been donated in 1922 by Major Milner for the burial of Catholics. Part of the land was used for a Catholic church, school and hall. The remainder was donated to extend the general cemetery, with provision for a (new) separate Catholic cemetery.