In 1784, by decree of Emperor Joseph II, the cemeteries around Poperinge’s three churches were closed. A new municipal cemetery was established on a hop field called "Cherf’s hommelhof" at the edge of town, also known as ’t Oud Kerkhof. The wall surrounding the Rekhof cemetery dates back to the 19th century.
The name refers to the lost "rekhof," the building where cloth weavings were once displayed.
The many grave monuments silently testify to those who were rich and powerful in Poperinge during the 19th and 20th centuries. The municipal cemetery in Poperinge also contains the graves of 22 British soldiers who died during the First World War.
