Mortuary Room and Carriageway Tunnel, London Road Cemetery – Coventry’s Hidden Subterranean History

Beneath the peaceful canopy of trees in Coventry’s London Road Cemetery lies a little-known but fascinating remnant of the city’s Victorian ingenuity and wartime resilience, the Mortuary Room and Carriageway Tunnel. Concealed under grassy terraces and framed by weathered stone walls, these subterranean structures tell two parallel stories: one of solemnity and order in the 19th century, and one of shelter and survival in the 20th.

The Mortuary Room (Constructed in 1871)

Built under the cemetery’s terrace walk in 1871, the Mortuary Room was a functional yet discreet part of the cemetery’s infrastructure. In the 19th century, mortuary rooms served as secure spaces for temporary storage of the deceased, particularly when funerals were delayed or autopsies were required to establish the cause of death.

In keeping with Victorian values, even practical necessities like this were given careful consideration. The room would have been equipped with ventilation and lined in a way that kept bodies cool and protected, maintaining dignity until final rites could be performed. Its position beneath the path ensured that it was accessible to cemetery staff but remained out of public view, preserving the tranquillity of the cemetery above.

The Carriageway Tunnel (Constructed in 1846)

Long before the mortuary was added, the Carriageway Tunnel was constructed in 1846, one year after Joseph Paxton’s original layout of the cemetery. It was created to solve a very Victorian problem, how to maintain order and serenity even during funerals.

Two separate entrances were planned: one for general visitors and mourners arriving on foot, and another for funeral processions. The tunnel allowed horse-drawn hearses and carriages to enter the cemetery grounds without crossing pedestrian pathways, ensuring that movement through the cemetery remained dignified and undisturbed.

The tunnel runs beneath the cemetery terrace wall and opens near the arboretum, allowing access to both the lower and upper levels of the site. It remains a clever example of 19th-century urban design where aesthetics, efficiency, and respect for ceremony coexisted.

Wartime Reuse – A Shelter in the Second World War

Like many historic spaces in Coventry, these two structures gained a second life during the Second World War. With the Luftwaffe targeting the city during the Coventry Blitz, underground spaces were quickly repurposed. The Mortuary Room and Carriageway Tunnel were opened to the public for use as air raid shelters, offering a degree of protection during the bombing raids that devastated much of the city above.

This unexpected chapter in their history adds a layer of poignancy, the same tunnel that once carried the dead to rest became a place where the living sought refuge.

Legacy and Interpretation

Today, the Mortuary Room and Tunnel are not generally open to the public, but their stories are preserved through on-site interpretation boards and heritage tours. They remain an integral part of the narrative at London Road Cemetery, underscoring how even the hidden and utilitarian parts of this landscape reflect deep social values of dignity, safety, and adaptation across generations.

Happy travelling.