Sheffield General Cemetery celebrates end of four-year restoration

Sheffield General Cemetery is celebrating the end of its four-year £3.8m conservation and repair programme with a gathering of those involved today (25 October) to acknowledge their support for the project and to celebrate Sheffield’s heritage. 

The conclusion of the project aims to celebrate the General Cemetery’s significance as a heritage treasure – nicknamed “Sheffield’s Highgate” – whilst protecting its “value as a tranquil green space and important wildlife habitat” close to the city.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery, the Sheffield City Council carried out extensive structural repairs to the cemetery’s famous catacombs, stabilised key monuments, and provided support to the massive retaining walls that are now nearing 200 years old.

Representatives of The National Lottery Heritage Fund North Committee will visit the cemetery to meet the project team and trustees and volunteers from Sheffield General Cemetery Trust and will have the opportunity to visit the ‘Cemetery, Then and Now’. 

The representatives will also enjoy a guided tour of the works, particularly focussed on the extensive restoration of the Cemetery’s catacombs.

Dave Hunt, chair of Sheffield General Cemetery Trust, said: “Completion of the significant repair and conservation works to the Cemetery Heritage Park has been eagerly awaited by the 95 volunteers and staff of Sheffield General Cemetery Trust, the organisation originally set up by residents almost 35 years ago to start the enormous task of bringing the Cemetery back from dereliction. 

“We are looking forward to building on the great work resulting from the Sheffield City Council Parks for People project and are very grateful to people buying National Lottery tickets who provided much of the funding. We are delighted to see the historic and well-loved site secured for visitors for long into the future.”

Helen Featherstone, director of England and North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, added: “It is very exciting to see the completion of this fantastic project that has carefully restored Sheffield General Cemetery. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, local people, and those from further afield will be able to enjoy this unique heritage location for years to come. 

“Conserving our public parks is a high priority of the Heritage Fund as we’re committed to promoting environmentally sustainable heritage that increases people’s connection to nature and the world around them, and this project is a wonderful example of that.”