Heritage Open Days Talk | How the Church Lost the Plot: A History of Victorian Cemeteries, 20 September | AllEvents

Heritage Open Days Talk | How the Church Lost the Plot: A History of Victorian Cemeteries

Sheffield General Cemetery

Highlights

Sat, 20 Sep, 2025 at 03:00 pm

Samuel Worth Chapel

Advertisement

Date & Location

Sat, 20 Sep, 2025 at 03:00 pm (BST)

Samuel Worth Chapel

Sheffield General Cemetery, Sheffield, United Kingdom

Save location for easier access

Only get lost while having fun, not on the road!

About the event

Heritage Open Days Talk | How the Church Lost the Plot: A History of Victorian Cemeteries
Date: Saturday 20th September
Time: 3.00pm
Tickets: Free (Please book in advance)

As part of Heritage Open Days, join Dr Julie Rugg from the University of York, for a captivating exploration into the politics, power, and profits of Victorian burial.

Drawing on decades of research into cemeteries and cemetery companies, Dr Rugg will uncover how the Burial Acts of the mid-19th century secured the Church of England’s dominance in burial provision, vastly increasing its income and influence. This privileged position, however, did not go unchallenged and over time, through determined and often heated lobbying, the Church’s control began to erode.

With wit and insight, Dr Rugg will reveal how this battle for burial rights played out, and how it shaped the very cemeteries we walk through today. Her talk also highlights how cemeteries themselves have rich and complex “biographies” – layered histories that reflect wider social, religious, and political change.

A must for anyone interested in Victorian history, heritage, or the untold stories behind our burial grounds.

---

Event Details

Start Time: 3.00pm
Location: Samuel Worth Chapel, Sheffield General Cemetery, Sheffield, S11 8NT
Accessibility: The historic nature of the site and the sloping landscape mean that not all spaces are fully accessible. Paths may be uneven and there are steps on some paths. Find out more here.
Facilities: Before the tour, join us at the Samuel Worth Chapel for refreshments – our café and bookstall will be open from 10am – 3pm
Tickets: All tickets are sold online via Ticketsource. No tickets are available on the door.
Please note, this tour is appropriate for those aged 18+.

---

Thank You

This is a volunteer-led fundraising event for Sheffield General Cemetery Trust (Registered Charity Number: 1103158) with all proceeds going towards the charitable aims of the Trust. We thank you for your ongoing support in preserving this special place for generations to come.


You may also like the following events from Sheffield General Cemetery:

Also check out other Nonprofit events in Sheffield, Arts events in Sheffield.

interested
Stay in the loop for updates and never miss a thing. Are you interested?
Yes
No

Ticket Info

Tickets for Heritage Open Days Talk | How the Church Lost the Plot: A History of Victorian Cemeteries can be booked here.

Advertisement

Nearby Hotels

Samuel Worth Chapel, Sheffield General Cemetery,Sheffield, United Kingdom
Reserve your spot

Host Details

Sheffield General Cemetery

Sheffield General Cemetery

Are you the host? Claim Event

Advertisement
Heritage Open Days Talk | How the Church Lost the Plot: A History of Victorian Cemeteries, 20 September | AllEvents
Heritage Open Days Talk | How the Church Lost the Plot: A History of Victorian Cemeteries
Sat, 20 Sep, 2025 at 03:00 pm