◄ Back
The History of Langney Cemetery
1881
In 1881, the idea to build a new cemetery somewhere in the town was raised by members of the town’s Burial Board. Several areas were proposed; Westham, Langney, Horsey (now Bridgemere, just below the Horsey Sewer) and the Gas Works (which is now where Booker and Wickes is). Some, like the Gas Works, were instantly dismissed because the land was unsuitable for burials. In the case of the Gas Works, the land was low lying and very boggy which meant it was full of water for much of the year. Horsey was likely the same.
A large piece of land was offered by Mr James Hayward. The freehold land was 16 acres, 2 roods and 19 perches in size and was located at Westham, a short distance north from Langney Farm. It was being sold for £2,400, which, in today’s money, is approximately £260,678.00!
The land came with two concrete cottages, four wooden cottages, stables and outbuildings. There were also twenty five feet of road leading into Pevensey Road (now Hide Hollow). To make things even more desirable, Mr Hayward confirmed he’d made excavations to a depth of sixty feet before water was discovered.
The Burial Board was in no doubt that the land was ideal for a new cemetery, plus it came at a great price. However, some members felt it was unnecessary to pay for a new site when Ocklynge Cemetery still had ten to twelve years of use left and felt it was better to just extend the existing area instead.
In the end, an overwhelming majority of the parish vestry agreed to the proposal of the Burial Board to purchase Mr Hayward’s land as the offer and location was too good to pass up.
1883
Local architect, Henry Euean Rumble, was hired to design the chapel and layout of the cemetery.
He designed two chapels – one facing east and west (Church of England), the other north and south (Nonconformist), both with open timbered roofs.
They would be separated by a paved wooden roadway that’s covered by a central archway. Attached to the chapels will be the vestries and a general waiting room. Above the central archway will be a small bell chamber and a fleche.
The chapels would be built in a late Gothic style with red bricks, tiles and ornamental ridging for the roofs. The two cottages will be converted to the sexton’s house and made to match the appearance of the chapels.
A lychgate was erected on the upper side of the cottage abutting the main road.
1885
Building was complete in early 1885. On Friday, 31st July, the Lord Bishop of Chichester, Mr. Drumford, visited Eastbourne to consecrate the new cemetery, as well as a portion of the remaining ground at Ocklynge. The cemetery was open for burials soon after.
FOLCEC 