The photo above shows an old gas public light in the Castle Street detached, disused cemetery before the site was much reduced by the South Orbital roadworks – see the three coronets.
I was very pleased to see about 25 people turned up for my first guided tour of 2026 on the morning of the 14th February. I was particularly pleased to see many stalwarts of the 2025 season turning up again, and bringing some ‘newbys’. The plan was a circular walk, starting with looking over the temporary perimeter fence of the remainder of Castle Street Cemetery to asses what has been done to the area ahead of the new road next door being opened later this year. Some mature trees remain, some young ones planted, but the area has been tidied and a new footpath through constructed. Despite all the disruption some beds of flowering snowdrops were appreciating the sunshine (at last) as we were.
We then walked south to an area of land, maybe 5 acres, currently housing portacabins and stuff for the management of the major roadworks. One suggestion in Hull’s long-term Local Plan is that it become a public park when the roadwork’s people have moved on. We had a discussion about what would be best to include.
We then walked along the west side of the Marina and behind the Holiday Inn to the eastern end of the Castle Street Cemetery site. From here we could see the intended walk round the site with one or two more recently planted young trees. And back to the start alongside Railway Dock.
Along the way we discussed a few surviving trees alongside the Marina.
The gas light survives, stripped of its ivy.