The Ascension Parish Burial Ground, formerly known as the burial ground for the parish of St Giles and St Peter's, is a cemetery off Huntingdon Road in Cambridge, England. Many notable University of Cambridge academics are buried there, including three Nobel Prize winners.

Although a Church of England site, the cemetery includes the graves of many non-conformists, reflecting the demographics of the parish in the 19th and 20th centuries, which covered much of West Cambridge.^[1]

It was established in 1857 while the city of Cambridge was undergoing rapid expansion, although the first burial was not until 1869.^[1] It covers one and a half acres and contains 1,500 graves with 2,500 burials.^[1] Originally surrounded by open fields, it is now bounded by trees and the gardens of detached houses,^[2] and is a designated city wildlife site.^[1]

In 2020 it was formally closed to new burials by an Order in Council,^[3] and responsibility for its upkeep was transferred to Cambridge City Council.^[4]

The former chapel of rest is now used as the workshop of letter-carver Eric Marland.^[5][6]

• John Couch Adams, astronomer, discoverer of Neptune, Lowndean Professor.^[7][8] He is unique in also having a commemorative memorial in Westminster Abbey
• Hugh Kerr Anderson, physiologist, Master Gonville and Caius College.^[7]
• Elizabeth Anscombe, Fellow of Newnham College, Philosopher, Professor of Philosophy.^[9] her husband Peter Geach is buried with her.^[9]
• Richard Appleton, Master Selwyn College, Vicar of St. George's, Camberwell, Vicar of Ware.^[7][8]
• Arthur John Arberry^{[citation needed]} orientalist, Professor of Arabic, Fellow of Pembroke College, Cambridge.

• Sir Robert Stawell Ball, astronomer, Lowndean Professor of Astronomy and Geometry, founded the screw theory.^[7][8]
• Arthur Beer,^{[citation needed]} astronomer, member of Caius College.
• Cecil Bendall Professor of Sanskrit, University of Cambridge; Honorary Fellow of Gonville and Caius College.^[10]
• Edwin Keppel Bennett, noms de plume: Francis Bennett, Francis Keppel, Fellow and President of Gonville and Caius College.
• Jack A. W. Bennett,^{[citation needed]} New Zealand born literary scholar, a member of the informal Oxford literary group, the Inklings, Fellow of Magdalen College.
• Arthur Christopher Benson, 28th Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge noted for writing the words of the song "Land of Hope and Glory".^[7][8]
• William Henry Besant FRS, ^[11] Fellow of St John's, mathematician
• James Bethune-Baker, theologian, Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity and Dean of Pembroke College.^[7][8]
• Frederick Blackman FRS,^[12] plant physiologist, Fellow of St John's.
• Joan Boulind CBE, fellow and tutor at Hughes Hall, Cambridge.^{[citation needed]}
• John Buckley Bradbury, Downing Professor of Medicine.^[8]
• Charles Oscar Brink, classicist, Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (cremated remains).^[7]
• Denis William Brogan, historian, Political Scientist.^[7][8]
• Zachary Nugent Brooke, historian, Professor of Medieval History.^[7]
• William Warwick Buckland, Professor of Law, President of Gonville and Caius College, Regius Professor of Civil Law.^{[citation needed]}
• Robert Burn,^[13] Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and wife Augusta Sophia, née Prescott (a descendant of Oliver Cromwell)
• John Burnaby,^{[citation needed]} Dean of Trinity College, Cambridge, Regius Professor of Divinity, and wife Dorothy Burnaby, née Lock; also her brother Robert Heath Lock is buried in the same grave
• Geoffrey Bushnell, archaeologist and ethnologist, Fellow of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.^[7]

• James Cable,^{[citation needed]} diplomat, naval strategist, and his wife Lady Cable, Viveca Hollmerus^{[citation needed]}
• John Walton Capstick^[14] Bursar and Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge physicist, musician
• Neville Chittick,^{[citation needed]} scholar, archaeologist
• Richard Chorley,^{[citation needed]} quantitative geographer, Vice-Master, Sidney Sussex College
• Sir Derman Christopherson FRS,^{[citation needed]} engineering scientist, Master Magdalene College (1978–1985) and his wife Frances, Lady Christopherson^{[citation needed]}
• Sarah Clackson^[15] Coptologist; first wife of James Clackson, Secretary of Friends of Ascension Parish Burial Ground.
• Sir William Henry Clark, civil servant.^[7]
• John Cockcroft, physicist, Nobel Prize winner, instrumental in the development of nuclear power, first Master of Churchill College.^[7][8]
• Agnes Bell Collier, Vice Principal of Newnham College, passed Maths Tripos in 1883.^[8]
• Frances Cornford, poet, interred in grave of her father Sir Francis Darwin; and his wife.^[7]

• Francis Darwin, Botanist, biographer, buried with his daughter the poet Frances Cornford.^[7]
• Florence, Lady Darwin,^{[citation needed]} third wife of Sir Francis Darwin.
• Sir Horace Darwin, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, Scientific instrument maker and wife Lady Ida Darwin.^[7]

• Arthur Eddington, Astrophysicist, Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy^[7][8][16] (cremated remains interred in the grave of his mother Sarah Eddington.^{[citation needed]}).
• Sir James Ewing^[17] FRS, Professor of Mechanism and Applied Mechanics, Professorial Fellowship at King's.

• Michael James Farrell, Economist, recovered from polio after being in an iron lung.^[8]
• Thomas Cecil Fitzpatrick, Vice-Chancellor and Master of Queens' College, Cambridge.^{[citation needed]}
• Sir James Frazer, Anthropologist, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.^[8][7][16]

• Peter Geach, Philosopher, buried with his late wife Elizabeth Anscombe.^[9]
• Roberto Gerhard^[18] Composer, Musical Scholar.
• Jean Grove, Glaciologist, Fellow of Girton College, Cambridge. Older sister of the historian Margaret Spufford. Buried beside her mother Mary Clark, her niece Bridget Spufford, and her son Richard Grove.
• Richard Grove, Environmental historian. Buried beside his mother Jean Grove, and together with his grandmother Mary Clark and cousin Bridget Spufford
• Henry Melvill Gwatkin, Dixie Professor of Ecclesiastical History, Historian, theologian, conchologist.^[7]

• Reginald Hackforth^{[citation needed]} Laurence Professor of Ancient Philosophy, Classical Scholar, Fellow of Sidney Sussex College.
• Basil Hammond, Historian.^[8]
• William Emerton Heitland Classicist, Fellow of Emmanuel.^[8]
• Margaret Heitland journalist and suffragette.^[8]
• Robert Drew Hicks Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, classicist, blind for 30 years.^{[citation needed]}
• Paul Hirsch assembled one of the largest private music libraries in Europe, now in the British Library
• Ernest William Hobson^[19] Mathematician, Sadleirian Professor, Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge.
• Frederick Gowland Hopkins, Biochemist, Nobel Prize winner for discovery of vitamins.^[8]
• Bertram Hopkinson, Patent Lawyer, Engineer, Professor of Mechanism and Applied Mechanics.^[7][20]
• Tristram Frederick Croft Huddleston, Classicist and Censor of Fitzwilliam House 1890–1907.^[8]
• Arthur Hutchinson, Mineralogist and Master Pembroke College.^[7]

• Henry Jackson, Regius Professor of Greek (Cambridge), Classicist, Member of the Cambridge Apostles.^[7][21]
• Sir Richard Jebb, Regius Professor of Greek (Cambridge), Classicist, Member of the Cambridge Apostles.^[7][8]
• Caroline Jebb, American intellectual and socialite, wife of Richard Jebb.^{[citation needed]}

• Courtney Stanhope Kenny, Legal scholar, Liberal politician, Downing Professor of the Laws of England.^[7][8]

• Horace Lamb, Mathematician and physicist.^[7][8]
• Guy Lee, Cambridge professor, classicist, translator of Ovid, Horace and Catullus, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge.^{[citation needed]}
• Edward Hubert Linfoot^{[citation needed]} Mathematician, Fellow of Wolfson College
• George Downing Liveing^[22] FRS, Professor of Chemistry, Fellow and President of St John's College, Cambridge and his wife Catharine
• John Bascombe Lock, Bursar of Gonville and Caius College, author of books on trigonometry, Chair of Addenbrooke's Hospital.^[8]
• Robert Heath Lock, botanist and geneticist, wrote the first English textbook on genetics.^[8]
• Henry Richards Luard^[23] Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, mathematician and clergyman

• Alexander Macalister, Professor of Anatomy, Cambridge University, Egyptologist, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge.^[8]
• R. A. Stewart Macalister, archaeologist, son of Alexander Macalister.^[8]
• Sir Donald MacAlister, Physician, Vice-Chancellor Glasgow, Member of the Cambridge Apostles.^[7][8]
• Sir Desmond MacCarthy, Literary and drama critic, Member of the Cambridge Apostles.^[7]
• Norman McLean, Orientalist and Member of the Cambridge Apostles, Master Christ's College, Cambridge.^[7]
• Alfred Marshall, Professor of Political Economy one of the founders of Neoclassical economics,^[8] married to Mary Paley, co-founder of Newnham College.
• Sir Charles James Martin^{[citation needed]} FRS, Scientist, Fellow of King's College, London.
• Brigadier Arthur Gordon Matthew^[24]
• Jeremy Maule, English scholar and teacher; Fellow and Lecturer in English, Trinity College.^{[citation needed]}
• Edwin Arthur Maxwell, Mathematician; Director of Studies in Mathematics, University of Cambridge, Honorary Fellow of Queens' College, Cambridge.^[25]
• John Eyton Bickersteth Mayor, Professor of Latin, Antiquarian, early vegetarian and President of St John's College, Cambridge.^[7][8]
• Robert Williams Michell Surgeon.^[26]
• Sir Geoffrey Fitzhervey de Montmorency^{[citation needed]} Indian Civil Service
• William Loudon Mollison,^[27] Master of Clare College, Cambridge
• G. E. Moore, philosopher, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, Member of the Cambridge Apostles, the intellectual secret society.^[7][8]
• Andrew Munro, bursar and mathematician of Queens' College, Cambridge.^[28]

• Hugh Frank Newall, Professor of Astrophysics, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.^[7]
• George Ernest Newsom^{[citation needed]} Master Selwyn College: 1934 to 1946
• Alfred Newton, Professor of Comparative Anatomy, Fellow of Magdalene College, Ornithologist.^[7]

• Conrad Pepler^{[citation needed]} Priest, Writer, Editor, Publisher
• Max Perutz, OM, FRS, Molecular Biologist, Nobel Prize winner, Fellow of Peterhouse, and wife Gisela Perutz; their cremated remains are buried together with his parents Hugo and Dely Perutz.^[29]

• Sir Leon Radzinowicz^[30] FBA, Criminologist, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.
• Arthur Stanley Ramsey Mathematician and philosopher, President of Magdalene College.^[8]
• Frank P. Ramsey Philosopher and mathematician, Member of the Cambridge Apostles, the intellectual secret society, buried in same grave as his parents: Arthur Stanley Ramsey and Mary Agnes Ramsey.^[7]
• William Luard Raynes OBE, solicitor, twice Mayor of Cambridge.^[8]
• William Halse Rivers Rivers^[31] FRS, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, Anthropologist, Neurologist, Ethnologist, Psychologist
• David Roberts, architect and fellow of Magdalene College.^[32]
• Walter William Rouse Ball, Mathematician, author on the History of Mathematics, endowed professorships.^[7][8]

• John Edwin Sandys, Classicist and Public Orator of Cambridge University.^[7][8]
• Sir Charles Henry Sargant,^{[citation needed]} Lord Justice of Appeal, Privy Counsellor
• Charlotte Scott, mathematician, first unofficial wrangler, buried in the grave of cousin Eliza Nevin.^[7][8][16]
• Isabel May Griffiths Seltman, wife of Charles Seltman, art historian, fellow of Queens' College, Cambridge and a University Lecturer in Classics.^{[citation needed]}
• Gerald Shove,^[33] economist and Member of the Cambridge Apostles, the intellectual secret society, and Fredegond Shove, poet, step-daughter of Sir Francis Darwin; her mother was Lady Darwin, formerly Florence Maitland;
• Walter William Skeat, Philologist, Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon.^[7][8]
• Lucy Joan Slater,^[34] Mathematician and Recorder of Ascension Parish Burial Ground, buried in her mother's grave (Lucy Slater, Classicist^[8])
• George Smee, solicitor, and wife Eliza Smee; monument designed by Jacob Epstein.^[8]
• Bridget Spufford,^[7] after whom "Bridget's Hostel", Cambridge was named; daughter of Professors Peter Spufford and the late Margaret Spufford, sister of Francis Spufford. She is buried with her grandmother, Mary Clark, née Johnson.
• Vincent Henry Stanton, Regius Professor of Divinity, Member of the Cambridge Apostles, the intellectual society at Cambridge University.^[8]
• Joseph Peter Stern, Germanist, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, (cremated remains).^[7]
• Stanley Stubbs^{[citation needed]} Headmaster of Perse School.

• Joseph Robson Tanner, Bursar of St John's, Samuel Pepys expert.^{[citation needed]}
• Charles Taylor^[35] Vice-Chancellor and Master St. John's College: 1881 to 1908, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, mathematician and Hebrew scholar
• Harold McCarter Taylor^{[citation needed]} Mathematician, Barrister, a Fellow of Clare College, (cremated remains)
• Henry Martyn Taylor, Mathematician, braille expert.^[7][8]
• Sir Alfred St Valery Tebbitt,^{[citation needed]} managing director of Kirby, Beard & Co. and British Chamber of Commerce, Paris, and of the Hertford British Hospital, Paris, and wife Lady Gladys St. Valery Tebbitt, née Pendrell Smith.

• Augustus Arthur Vansittart, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, classical scholar.^[8][36]
• Arthur Woollgar Verrall, Classicist, Member of the Cambridge Apostles, King Edward VII Professor of English Literature.^[7][8]
• Margaret Verrall, parapsychology researcher and lecturer in classics at Newnham College.^{[citation needed]}

• Harry Marshall Ward, colleague of Sir Francis Darwin.^{[citation needed]}
• Sir Percy Henry Winfield^{[citation needed]} FBA, Rouse Ball Professor of English Law, Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, author of The Law of Torts and his wife Lady Helena Winfield, née Scruby
• Denys Winstanley, Vice Master Trinity College, Cambridge.^[37]
• John Wisdom (cremated),Professor of Philosophy, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, philosopher, and Honorary Fellow of Fitzwilliam College.^[7]
• Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher, Professor of Philosophy, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, Member of the Cambridge Apostles.^[38][8]
• Charles Wood, Professor of Music, Fellow of Gonville and Caius College, composer.^[7]
• William Aldis Wright, Shakespearean and Biblical scholar, Vice-Master Trinity College, Cambridge.^[7][8]

Five members of the family of Charles Darwin are interred here: two sons: Sir Francis Darwin^[8] and Sir Horace Darwin,^[8] two daughters-in-law: Lady Florence Darwin (third wife of Francis) and Lady Ida Darwin^[8] (wife of Horace), and a granddaughter: Frances Cornford,^[8] the daughter of Francis Darwin by his second wife, Ellen Wordsworth Darwin, née Crofts.

Charles Darwin himself is buried in Westminster Abbey.

• Ascension Parish Burial Ground at Find a Grave
• "Final resting place of the dead clever finds friends". Cambridge News. 13 September 2010. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
• Goldie, Mark (10 September 2010). "Britain's brainiest cemetery". BBC News – Today. Archived from the original on 11 September 2010.
• "History of Churches & Burial Grounds". Church at Castle (website run on behalf of local churches). Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
• "Dead Scholar's Society". University of Cambridge. 10 September 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2023.

52°13′03″N 0°06′00″E / 52.2176°N 0.1001°E / 52.2176; 0.1001