Located in a congested area south of A J C Bose (Lower Circular) Road at 3 Karaya Road, Kolkata 700 014. It covers an area of 6 acres and contains approximately 1800 graves. In 1820 the Kirk Session of St Andrew's Church was petitioned to provide a cemetery for the Scottish community in Calcutta. The petitioners wrote: “In every place, people of different religious persuasion have always separate Burial Grounds for themselves. The enormous and unnecessary charge incurred by procuring a plot in the English burying ground must be known to you”. Their appeal was heard and the Scottish Cemetery was finally opened in 1826 and expanded over the years. It is now full, no longer in use and over the years has fallen into decay.
In 2008 on the initiative of James Simpson a heritage architect of Edinburgh and Lord Charles Bruce, himself a descent of Lord Mayo fourth Viceroy of India, the Kolkata Scottish Heritage Trust was formed in Scotland to commemorate and build on the historic links between Scotland and India and their first task was conservation of the Scottish Cemetery.
There is a long term plan to make the Cemetery accessible as a green space and of course to completely renovate it to the original condition and appearance. They plan to restore all the graves, headstones, memorials and other structures and for which the renovation requires skill with lime mortar which has died out due to lack of demand. KSHT therefore plans to establish at the Cemetery the nucleus of an artisan training programme to impart the skills required for renovating ancient buildings, memorials and monuments. Initially the artisans will work on the Cemetery requirement but with the increasing interest in renovating and preserving heritage buildings in Kolkata and India with a skill certificate they should be in demand on other projects.
KSHT initially renovated the gatehouse and installed security lighting.
BACSA British Association for Cemeteries in South Asia had previously provided funds to St Andrew’s and is now supporting KSHT.
As at this date, July 2014, the vegetation, shrubs and bushes have been cleared and re-growth prevented. This has revealed all the graves and ground layout and paths are now being established and renovation of graves, headstones and memorials started. Information on the work and what is planned are on display in the gatehouse where there is a copy of the Burial Register and a Visitor’s Book. See also http://kolscotheritage.org/
