That this House notes the significant historic, cultural and community value of Horton Cemetery, the final resting place of more than 9,000 former patients of the Epsom cluster of psychiatric hospitals, many of whom lie in unmarked graves; expresses deep concern and regret that this cemetery remains privately owned following its sale by the Department of Health and Social Care in 1983; recognises that the Epsom cluster, once the largest concentration of mental health hospitals in Europe, forms an important part of the nation’s heritage and collective memory; further notes that the site has deteriorated into increasing dereliction and, being privately owned, has become largely inaccessible to the public; commends the dedicated efforts of local campaigners, including Friends of Horton Cemetery, who work tirelessly to preserve the dignity of those buried there and to secure the cemetery’s future; further recognises the vital contribution of projects such as the Lost Souls in bringing to light the lives and stories of those historically stigmatised because of mental ill health; also notes that the continued neglect, inaccessibility and threat of development serve to perpetuate the silence, shame and marginalisation that many of these individuals faced in life; calls on the Government to urgently safeguard Horton Cemetery and other historic pauper burial sites to ensure they are protected from development or exhumation; and urges the Government to explore the establishment of a national memorial to honour those who lived and died in institutional settings, ensuring their stories are remembered with dignity and respect.
