Compiled and maintained by Uckfield Town Council

SNATTS ROAD CEMETERY

Uckfield Town Council is the burial authority for the town of Uckfield, and the cemetery is situated in Snatts Road.  The cemetery has a rural location, with many mature trees and shrubs within the northern side bordered by woodland.  The old section of the cemetery, on the south side, dates back to 1884 and an extension to the cemetery was opened in 1942   The original section was divided into denominations with separate areas for Church of England and Catholic burials.  There is also an area set aside for children, as well as a Garden of Remembrance for cremated remains.  There are 23 war graves in the cemetery for British, Canadian and Commonwealth servicemen who died in the First and Second World Wars.  In 1962 the graves of two German airmen were exhumed to the German War Cemetery in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire. Although no longer in use, a brief history of the two chapels showed that the western one was originally consecrated by the Church of England, with the other chapel being for non-conformist churches.  The legal effect of the consecration was removed by the Bishop of Chichester in 1999.

The cemetery has well laid out pathways and taps for watering.  Cans are provided and we would ask that they are returned to the water locations after use.  Litter bins are provided for the disposal of litter and green waste.  The cemetery is maintained by contractors and the Council’s own team of grounds staff.   A Best Value review of the Cemetery was undertaken in 2002.

There are strict regulations regarding burials and interments of ashes in the cemetery.    Families with children are welcome to visit the cemetery, however we would stress the importance that children should be kept under supervision as some memorials could be loose or dangerous.

Please note: On rare occasions, when a burial necessitates the re-opening of an existing grave, it may be necessary to place the excavated earth on to an adjacent grave for a short period of time.  The adjacent plot will be protected with a tarpaulin and immediately following the burial the earth will be back-filled and both plots left tidy.  We apologise for any distress this may cause to visitors to the cemetery.

In addition to providing a service for burial and interment of ashes at the cemetery, the Council can also offer a limited search of records for anyone wishing to trace the burial plot for relatives in the cemetery, and a nominal fee of £10 is charged for this service.  To assist staff with the search, you are asked to supply as much information as possible, e.g., first and second names, surnames, date of death and age.  

For details of the fees and charges for burials, interments of ashes and the erection of memorials, or to discuss any specific issues, or to request a search of the records, please contact the Council Offices.

HOLY CROSS CLOSED CHURCHYARD
The churchyard at Holy Cross Church is now closed to burials, and is maintained by the Council.

MEMORIAL TESTING

As a result of recent memorial testing at the cemetery, a number of memorials have been covered with red bags to warn visitors to the cemetery that the memorials are unsafe.  As this section of the cemetery dates back to 1885 contacting the last deed holder to advise them of an unsafe memorial is not always possible.

The  grounds staff have recently undergone training in memorial safety testing and have purchased a piece of equipment to ensure that safety testing is carried out to strict standards.  Signs are posted in the cemetery and churchyard before any testing takes place and the deed holder with responsibility is contacted before any action is taken, except where there is an imminent danger to other visitors to the sites.

Should you  be a family member and have concerns regarding our actions and would like further advice please contact the Council Offices on 01825 762774.