Stotfold Cemetery

The Cemetery, Stotfold, c.1910 [ref: X1306/115/11/1]

Stotfold cemetery was established in 1898 and is located on Mill Lane in Stotfold. It features a chapel at the foot of the hill, a beacon at the top and gardens of rest, as well as memorial benches and trees. The late Victorian chapel was constructed in 1895 to provide the local community with an appealing building in which to hold burial services for their loved ones. In 1896 Bedfordshire County Council and the Local Government Board agree to the loan of £900 to Stotfold Parish Council to build the new cemetery. A mortgage was agreed under the Local Government Act 1894, the Burial Acts of 1852 and 1885 and with the sanction of Bedfordshire County Council on 19th October 1896 [ref: PCStotfold12/1].

Cemetery Chapel, 2024

As well as the chapel there are also two WWI and three WWII graves as well as the Stotfold War memorial in the grounds. The war memorial was originally located on Brook Street but was moved to the cemetery in 1987 due to vandalism.

The chapel and cemetery are owned by Stotfold Town Council. Unfortunately, during the last century, the chapel fell into disrepair and for many years was used as a storage facility for the cemetery. However, in 2012, the Town Council decided to make the chapel available and chose local funeral directors Austin’s Family Funeral Directors to take on the chapel.

The chapel was renovated with specialist firms employed to restore the chapel and the wooden ceiling. The brickwork was cleaned, the pews were French polished, and the wooden floor was refurbished.

Stotfold Cemetery Chapel was opened to the public for the first time on 22^nd September 2013. The chapel is now available for funeral services for families whose loved one is either to be interred in the Cemetery or cremated at a local crematorium.

Stotfold Town Council hold the burial records which start from the first burial on 30^th May 1898, these are available via a cemetery search online on the Town Council website which has over 4,000 records by first name or surname. This search will provide you with the date and place of death, burial date, who performed the ceremony, the age of person and where they are located.

List of sources at Bedfordshire Archives:

• CCO3/6/1 & 2: Loans to Parish Councils, 1896-1897
• PCStotfold12: Parish Council: Cemetery, 1877-1974
• X842/14/1: Stotfold Cemetery, 1903-1949
• Z1130/115/11/1: Postcard of Stotfold Cemetery, c.1902
• Z1306/115/11/1: Postcard of the cemetery, c.1910
• Z50/115/28: Photograph of cemetery and chapel, c.1920s
• Z1255/2/33: Photograph of Chapel of Rest, Cemetery, Mill Lane