Moorgate Cemetery
Address
Moorgate CemeteryBoston Castle Grove
Rotherham
S60 2BA
Map
Cemetery Opening Hours
1 April to 30 September
8am to 7pm Monday to Friday
9am to 7pm Saturdays
10am to 7pm Sundays and Bank Holidays
1 October to 31 March
9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday
10am to 5pm Sundays and Bank Holidays
Cemetery News
2023
Updated 20/12/2023
Dignity Funerals Ltd presented their Annual Performance Report alongside the Bereavement Services Annual Report at the Improving Places Select Commission on the 12th of December at the Town Hall. Please use the link below to view further details and to watch a web cast of the meeting.
Improving Places Select Commission on Tuesday 12 December 2023, 1.30 p.m. - Rotherham Council
Overview of improvements carried out in 2023:
Ongoing ground clearance work is being undertaken to remove brambles, self-sets, and ivy from around the graves and boundaries of the site. This has had a huge impact on the overall appearance and increased access. This would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the Friends of Moorgate Cemetery and partnership working with Probation and the Community Payback Team.
Slate guards have been fitted to the chapel to prevent any potential accidents occurring due to tile slippage.
Commonwealth War Graves Foundation
Discover the stories of the service men and women who sacrificed their lives in the two world wars and are commemorated in your local area.
Join us for a guided tour at Moorgate Cemetery on the 30th of July, 5th August, 27th August, 2nd September and 24th of September. Tours start at 10:30 am.
Find out more and book a free ticket at www.cwgc.org/tours
2022
Dignity Funerals Ltd are producing a Five Year Plan of maintenance and Improvements for all municipal cemeteries in Rotherham managed by them on behalf of the Council. This will be presented at the Improving Places Select Committee on 25 October 2022 alongside the Annual Performance Report and Annual Bereavement Services Report.
General Information
This public cemetery was established on the 8 of October 1841 by the Rotherham General Cemetery Company. Samuel Worth, a local architect who designed the first phase of the Sheffield General Cemetery, designed the buildings and layout in partnership with John Frith.
The cemetery is Grade II Listed and further information on this can be found here MOORGATE CEMETERY, Non Civil Parish - 1001653 | Historic England
There are 85 commonwealth war graves within Moorgate Cemetery. To find out more information on these please visit the Commonwealth War Grave Commission Rotherham | CWGC
The cemetery has a large chapel located at the centre. This chapel is no longer in use, but in times gone by the chapel was used for burial services to take place in. Bereavement Services has been undertaking repairs on the Chapel and are seeking ways in which the Chapel could be brought back into use for the local community and cemetery visitors alike.
Friends of Moorgate Cemetery
Moorgate have an established ‘Friends’ group who are actively seeking like-minded, enthusiastic individuals, who have a passion for their community and a particular interest and pride in their local cemetery and the people that use it.
See further information and view Friends of Moorgate Cemetery | Facebook
Alternatively, the group have a website at the following link - Home - Moorgate Cemetery
Testimony
Moorgate Cemetery was described as “An Architectural Gem” when it received its Grade II listing in 2002. Since that time the cemetery has lost much of its character as a listed park and garden. We previously had a partnership with the old probation service who helped to maintain the cemetery, repairing walls, and clearing pathways etc. This partnership ceased when Dignity took over the running of the bereavement service. We have recently rekindled the partnership with the Reparation Services for young offenders and they join the other volunteers in clearing overgrown graves and redefining footpaths etc.
We meet twice a month and have recently discovered new stories behind some of the graves which we are cataloguing. We also can provide a walk round the cemetery, together with a leaflet.
The Yorkshire Garden Trust has provided some funding and take a keen interest in the maintenance of the cemetery.
With regards to the heritage of the site, the cemetery celebrates the lives and tells the stories of some of the Victorian entrepreneurs and businessmen who helped give Rotherham its important status in the 19th century. This in turn led to the Borough’s Charter of Incorporation from Queen Victoria in 1871.
As a Friends Group of long standing we aim to make sure the importance of the Cemetery in terms of its heritage and listing are recognised by all parties responsible for its maintenance.
- Janet Worrall (Friend of Moorgate Cemetery)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)
CWGC honour and care for the men and women of the Commonwealth who died in the First and Second World Wars, ensuring they will never be forgotten. Funded by six Member Governments, their work began more than a century ago building cemeteries at 23,000 locations all over the world.
Today, over a century after they first began, their work continues through staff, supporters and volunteers who preserve their unique cultural, horticultural, and architectural heritage and ensure that the stories of those who died are told. You can find the location of any CWG by accessing www.cwgc.org
There are CWG at several of our sites in Rotherham. Further details of numbers and location can be accessed on the Bereavement Services website Cemeteries and Bereavement Services – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
There are 85 commonwealth war graves within Moorgate Cemetery. To find out more information on these please visit the Commonwealth War Grave Commission Rotherham | CWGC
Dignity
Dignity Funerals Ltd have been contracted since August 2008 to manage Rotherham Borough Council’s cemeteries and crematorium.
If you would like to report an issue, request a service, or discuss matters relating to interments, cremations or memorials please contact the main office using the details below.
The office is open between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and run an appointment system for face-to-face enquiries. Please call the Dignity Rotherham Office on 01709 850344 to speak to a member of the team or to book an appointment.
Should you wish to make a complaint about the service you have received please either contact the Dignity office directly by telephone, email or alternatively via the Dignity head office client relations department who’s contact information can be found here Complaints | Dignity Funerals Ltd
Dignity Rotherham a Gold standard under their Charter for the Bereaved for 2022/23.
Further information can be found here https://www.iccm-uk.com/iccm/charterforbereaved/
Emergency Out of Hours Contact
For issues or situations relating to any of the cemeteries or the crematorium, please call the Dignity Rotherham Office phone number on 01709 850344. If no one is available in the officer, your call will automatically transfer to Dignity’s Central Contact Centre, you may experience a few minutes hold time. Dignity aim to answer all calls as soon as possible.
Bereavement Services
The Council has retained the responsibility for the cemetery chapels located within the Moorgate, and some of the boundary walls.
Bereavement Services manages the performance of the Dignity contract.
If you would like to report any general site maintenance issues or request a specific service, please contact the Dignity office on 01709 850344.
If you would like more information on joining your local cemetery friends group, wish to contact the Council regarding the cemetery chapels or boundary walls, or have another concern or query that you wish to raise with the Council, please email bereavementservices@rotherham.gov.uk and a member of the team will be in touch within 10 working days.