Grimsby cemetery's Victorian buildings to be restored

Scartho Road Cemetery opened in 1889

Derelict buildings at a Victorian cemetery in North East Lincolnshire are undergoing restoration.

The project at Scartho Road Cemetery in Grimsby will see several structures brought back into use, according to North East Lincolnshire Council.

Work is taking place on the two chapels, lodge and former waiting room.

Gavin Duffy, who is managing the scheme, said: "It has taken 14 years to get to this point, so it is exciting to see it develop each day."

The cemetery opened in 1889 and the council said that while burials were registered at the lodge, mourners would have gathered in the waiting room across the road.

Horses would have been tethered to the metal bar outside the chapels during burial services, the council says

But the buildings have not been in use since the 1990s.

Mr Duffy, senior architectural technologist at North East Lincolnshire Council's partner Equans, said poor repairs had led the buildings to become derelict.

"During the last half century, there has been a lot of poor workmanship across the site and much of this has had to be stripped right back," he said.

"The work is progressing well, although there are always some surprises, but we are on target to start the second phase of works by autumn, 2023."

Restoration work is underway on a number of buildings at the site

Under the plans, one of the chapels will be used for funeral services while the other will be a storage area.

The former waiting room will be used for viewing and purchasing headstones, a nearby building may become a florists, and the lodge will be used by the bereavement services team.

Councillor Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for environment and transport at the council, said: "These buildings are a real asset for the area. It is wonderful to be able to put them back into use and preserve them for future generations."

Stained glass windows in the chapels have been restored