Sheffield General Cemetery receives Green Flag Award
In 2023, the cemetery celebrated the end of a four-year £3.8m conservation and repair programme, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Parks for People programme
Sheffield General Cemetery has received a Green Flag Award in recognition of its well-managed parks and green spaces.
Located in Sharrow, the cemetery is one of the city’s oldest greenspaces that first opened in 1836 as a municipal burial group where people of nonconformist religion could be buried according to their own custom.
In 2023, the cemetery celebrated the end of a four-year £3.8m conservation and repair programme, funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Parks for People programme.
As part of the project, the council carried out structural repairs to the cemetery’s famous catacombs, stabilised key monuments and provided support to the massive retaining walls, which are now nearing 200 years old.
The site is also supported by the Sheffield General Cemetery Trust (SGCT), who carry out educational tours and workshops, conservation work to maintain and enhance the monuments, landscape and paths, as well as historical research of the cemetery and its occupants.
The Green Flag Award scheme aims to set the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the UK and around the world.
Sally Puddifoot, landscape conservation manager at SGCT, said: “Sheffield General Cemetery Trust is delighted that Sheffield General Cemetery has been awarded a Green Flag. It’s a recognition of the incredible hard work and dedication of the landscape volunteers who maintain many aspects of the site.
“The local community value the cemetery enormously and we welcome visitors from all over the UK, and abroad. We get great satisfaction from looking after such a unique and special place.”
Sheffield General Cemetery along with Pound’s Park join 16 other Sheffield parks in achieving the coveted Green Flag status.
Cllr Kurtis Crossland, chair of the communities, parks and leisure committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “I am delighted to hear that two more Sheffield parks have been recognised for their excellence and will join the list of the best parks in the UK.
This is an incredible achievement and is testament to our Parks and Countryside Team, as well as the many volunteers across the city, who help to maintain our greenspaces to such a high standard.”