Photos show how £3.8m restorations at Sheffield General Cemetery will preserve park for years to come

When Sheffield’s General Cemetery is fully reopened this year, the council hopes residents will barely notice the difference.
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The £3.8 million Heritage Lottery funded project to preserve the much-loved Sharrow park involves a lot of ‘under the hood’ work.

Even though the scheme will re-lay the aging footpaths, create a new meadow and install handrails with their own streetlighting, the most important job is to prevent a heritage catastrophe.

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A 12-month renovation project is underway at Sheffield General Cemetery to make the park safe for decades to come.A 12-month renovation project is underway at Sheffield General Cemetery to make the park safe for decades to come.
A 12-month renovation project is underway at Sheffield General Cemetery to make the park safe for decades to come.
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“The worst case scenario is the cemetery’s big tiered structures would have become unsafe and force us to close it,” said Claire Watts, Sheffield Council’s project leader for the renovations.

“The cemetery is tiered like a wedding cake, and without structural work on the retaining walls it could have become a safety risk.”

Built out of a quarry in 1836, the green space is one of five remaining ‘garden cemeteries’ in the country.

Beneath the stonework lies one of England’s few examples of Victorian catacombs. The stone vaults were offered to families in the 19th century as an alternative to burial. But the business didn’t catch on, and over the years they were instead filled with public burials.

The ongoing work will reinforce the retaining walls for safety while creating new features like a meadow, handrails and streetlighting. Picture Scott MerryleesThe ongoing work will reinforce the retaining walls for safety while creating new features like a meadow, handrails and streetlighting. Picture Scott Merrylees
The ongoing work will reinforce the retaining walls for safety while creating new features like a meadow, handrails and streetlighting. Picture Scott Merrylees

But now it’s showing its age.

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Anyone who has walked down the steps leading from the Samuel Worth Chapel will know how wonky the journey is, and even a cursory look will show how the retaining walls are strained.

As such, one of the key jobs is re-laying the steps to give them a safe, even slope. And when The Star visited in May, Claire pointed out a wall below the chapel that, to the untrained eye, looked like it had been knocked down and put back together.

Artist's impression of the view from the lowest level of the cemetery that shows how more sun will be let through when contractors Casey remove tonnes of degraded concrete from on top of the catacombs.Artist's impression of the view from the lowest level of the cemetery that shows how more sun will be let through when contractors Casey remove tonnes of degraded concrete from on top of the catacombs.
Artist's impression of the view from the lowest level of the cemetery that shows how more sun will be let through when contractors Casey remove tonnes of degraded concrete from on top of the catacombs.

“We have stonemasons on sight who are working with as much of the existing stone as possible,” said Claire. “And, if not, we’re using specially chosen stone from a quarry that matches what’s here.

“If it’s done right, it will not look obvious we’ve done anything.”

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The biggest change will be stripping away tonnes of degraded concrete which was laid on top of the catacombs to make a ballustrade in the 1930s, which poses the biggest risk.

Other works will include straightening and relaying the stair case leading down from the Samuel Worth chapel and laying out a series of newly discovered headstones to create an exhibition. Picture Scott MerryleesOther works will include straightening and relaying the stair case leading down from the Samuel Worth chapel and laying out a series of newly discovered headstones to create an exhibition. Picture Scott Merrylees
Other works will include straightening and relaying the stair case leading down from the Samuel Worth chapel and laying out a series of newly discovered headstones to create an exhibition. Picture Scott Merrylees

“Concrete was just what they made things out of at the time,” said Claire. “But now it’s degrading quite badly and presents structural risks.

“It’s obviously historic, and we thought quite hard about repairing it. But the cost of repairing it compared to how long that would survive wasn’t really worth it.

“So instead, we got permission from National Heritage to remove it and do something special.”

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When the concrete is stripped away, the space will be filled with lightweight polystyrene to reduce stress on the structure, topped with soil and sloped to create a meadow.

When finished, it means the bottom walk of the cemetery along the river will be opened up for more sunlight to pour in.

And, no – none of this work will disturb anyone resting in the catacombs.

Artist's impression of the staircase from the Samuel Worth chapel. Project leader Claire Watts says, if the work is done right, it "won't be obvious" the council has done anything.Artist's impression of the staircase from the Samuel Worth chapel. Project leader Claire Watts says, if the work is done right, it "won't be obvious" the council has done anything.
Artist's impression of the staircase from the Samuel Worth chapel. Project leader Claire Watts says, if the work is done right, it "won't be obvious" the council has done anything.

Claire said: “This is an opportunity to say, ‘this is one of the best heritage cemeteries in the north of England’, and do it justice by preserving it for years.”

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£3m of funding for the project was provided by the Heritage Lottery Fund, matched with £800,000 from Sheffield city Council.

To find out more, visit the council’s Parks For People Project website at parksforpeopleprojectsgc.co.uk.