Southampton Town council had no previous experience of laying out a cemetery and was pleased that Loudon was conveniently available.

As was customary in the planning of early cemeteries, the council held a competition and asked for suggested layouts to replace the one made by Loudon.

[4] Charles Rawden Maclean (1815–1880), alias "John Ross" friend of King Shaka and an opponent of slavery, died on board a ship bound for Southampton and was buried in a pauper's grave.

On 2 May 2009, the grave was marked with a headstone in a ceremony attended by representatives of his home town, Fraserburgh, and of the Zulu nation.

[7] The Robert Pearce family grave is marked by a sculpture depicting the figures of Faith, Hope and Charity, surmounted by a draped urn.

The memorial was sculpted by Richard Cockle Lucas from Chilworth and is English Heritage Listed, Grade II.

[11] Edward Askew Sothern (1826–1881), Victorian comedy actor, famous as Lord Dundreary in the play Our American Cousin is buried here.