Hoddesdon Cemetery

Hoddesdon Cemetery is the municipal burial ground of the town of Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire, England. It stands on Ware Road and is owned and maintained by the Borough of Broxbourne. It is a quiet place of remembrance that ties together the local history of the town and the stories of two world wars.

What is Hoddesdon Cemetery?

The cemetery serves the people of Hoddesdon and is run by the Borough of Broxbourne. Its first burial took place in February 1883, and more than 11,000 burials have been made there since. The council's figure from March 2024 counts 13,626 people buried or having cremated remains interred.

The site lies at roughly 51.771 N, 0.015 W, in the Lea Valley north of London.

How did the cemetery develop?

The grounds were opened up in stages. The southern half was used first, and the other half came into use from 1936. Plots for cremated remains were added in 1975, and lawn graves, which have uniform low markers on evenly kept grass, followed in 1988.

The council now says the cemetery is full for new graves. Older public graves can still be bought and used, however.

Is there a chapel?

Yes. The cemetery chapel is still in use and is usually open during the daytime.

What war graves are in the cemetery?

The cemetery holds nine casualties of the First World War and fifteen of the Second World War. Their graves are in plots maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the body that looks after the graves of Commonwealth service personnel.

The council has also published a memorial trail that points out selected monuments. It mentions, among other things, a family memorial damaged during air raids in the Second World War. It also describes a marble memorial to five nursery workers killed in a motor omnibus accident at the Amwell roundabout in 1913.

What else is worth seeing nearby?

In Hoddesdon itself, the town war memorial, a Celtic cross near the Clock Tower, was unveiled in April 1921. A local project called "We Will Remember Them" researched First World War soldiers from the Broxbourne area, and its material is hosted by the Herts Memories website. For anyone interested in local history, these make a natural complement to a visit.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Hoddesdon Cemetery? On Ware Road in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, England.

Who runs the cemetery? It is owned and maintained by the Borough of Broxbourne.

When did the cemetery open? Its first burial took place in February 1883.

Can new burial plots still be bought? The council says the cemetery is full for new graves, but older public graves can still be bought.

Are there war graves? Yes, nine from the First World War and fifteen from the Second World War, in plots maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Is the chapel open? The cemetery chapel is still in use and is usually open during the daytime.

Tips for visitors

The cemetery is an active place of burial and remembrance, so quiet and respect for mourners are expected. If you want to find specific memorials, the memorial trail produced by the Borough of Broxbourne is a helpful guide. Take photographs discreetly and keep away from any ceremony in progress.