The original cemetery was in the churchyard of St Thomas church. This became inadequate by 1880 and a new cemetery site was needed.

Extract from the minutes of the Vestry Meeting, 1st August 1882:  Gentlemen. We beg to call your attention to the absolute necessity of taking steps to provide a Burial Ground for the Parish.  The Churchyard is now nearly fully occupied with graves and should any epidemic or other catastrophe cause an unusual number of burials we should find great difficulty in providing proper accommodation for the dead.

A Burial Board, chaired by the Rev. F Walker, was appointed and Treasury approval for the raising of a mortgage of £400 at 4% interest was obtained; the mortgage to be repaid after 10 years.  An acre and a half of his Lower Meadow was purchased in April 1884 from Mr Richard Roberts of Hoodown for £240 with the approval of the Home Secretary and the Bishop. An iron “unclimable” fence, at a cost of 6 shillings a yard, was placed to divide the upper and lower parts of the land, theupper part to be used for burials.  Mr J H Short was allowed to keep his horse in the lower part.  Subsequently the burial area was divided into consecrated and unconsecrated sections.

It was decided in February 1885 that a Mortuary or Reception House for bodies prior to interment should be provided and in April plans for a caretaker’s house were approved.  The tender from Mr H Winsor for a total cost of £285 was accepted and a further £300 was borrowed for the purpose, repayable in 7 years.  The 1st August 1885 saw part of the cemetery consecrated by the Bishop of Exeter.   

Mr James Keeley was appointed as the first caretaker.  He does not seem to have been paid a salary but was allowed to live in the lodge rent and rate free in return for keeping the ground well mown and in good order.  Later he was also appointed as grave digger.

As the “old” part of the cemetery again became inadequate the cemetery was again expanded into what is now the “new” cemetery.