| No Trees ~ Memorial Trees ~ Replanting |
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| No Trees in the Cemetery . . . |
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Early 1900s.The Chapel stands out very clearly, with almost no trees in sight. |
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Seaford's was never a wooded cemetery. Indeed, the photograph above shows it to have been almost devoid of trees when established, surrounded by open fields. Within a few years many of the blocks had trees or sizeable shrubs planted on their corners, which broke up the lines of stones and gave it a less regimented appearance. Some grave owners complained in the 1930s that the fir trees along the southern boundary dropped too much of a mess on their plots, but the consensus was that they should remain. It remains an exposed site, and any losses made it look and feel more so. |
The North-East corner. These trees are along the line of the north wall. |
Looking along the southern boundary towards the Lodge and gate. |
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| Memorial Trees |
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| A number of commemorative trees have been planted in Seaford Cemetery. At the corner of Section C3 Memorial trees site , a pair were planted in 2002 and 2010 for Canadian & British West Indies Regiment servicemen: |
Canadian Servicemen Tree Plaque
Royal British Legion Seaford Branch
Lewes District Council
This tree is dedicated to the memory
of the Canadian Servicemen of the
1914-1918 War and who lay at rest
in this cemetery
"We Will Remember Them"
12th November 2002 |
Canadian Forces & British West Indies Regiment memorial trees
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BWIR Servicemen Tree Plaque
Royal British Legion Seaford Branch
Seaford Town Council
This tree is dedicated to the memory
of the West Indian Servicemen of the
1914-1918 War and who lay at rest
in this cemetery
"We Will Remember Them"
16th November 2010 |
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Memorial tree in Section H to Kathleen & Harold Winter
In Loving Memory
of
Kathleen and Harold Winter |
Memorial tree in Section G to Matthew John Wareing
In memory of our beloved son
MATTHEW JOHN WAREING
Died 20th July 2007
Aged 36 years
Soulmate to DENISE
Loving Dad to NIAMH, JAKE & SHAWNA
Sadly missed |
Memorial tree north of Section G to William Bedford
In Loving Memory of
WILLIAM JOHN BEDFORD
1891 - 1982
Husband of Maud Emily Bedford
Who rests here
They spent many happy hours
In Seaford
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Memorial tree by the Eastern Extension car park
to Sheila Hogsden
In Loving Memory
of
SHEILA HOGSDEN
née PEARCE
14TH August 1947
26TH August 2003 |
Memorial tree in Section I to Wendy Saunders
"Wendy's Tree"
Wendy Elizabeth Saunders
17.2.1967 - 27.7.2010 |
Memorial tree in Section I to Anita Saunders
"Anita's Tree"
Anita Carolyne Saunders
29.11.41 - 28.02.13 |
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Memorial tree north of Section G to Martin AR Davey
In Loving
Memory
of
Martin Alan Ray Davey
30-10-1953 to 02-09-1981 |
Memorial tree for Barrie Andrews, Eastern Ashes
In fond and Loving Memory
of
BARRIE ANDREWS
11.11.1936 - 10.4.2011
Much loved Husband, Dad & Grandad
Your inspiration lives on |
Memorial tree in the grave of Susan & Arthur Pearce, Block I3
Memorial to Susan and Arthur Pearce,
planted and tended in their grave (I3-5073). |
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Memorial tree to Ron & Doll Cottis in the lane between the
Northern & Eastern Extensions
Ron and Doll
Cottis
Together
Again |
Mr Sid Webster
1939 - 2016
and daughter
Karen Webster
1965 - 2017 |
WI Oak Sapling, in Summer among the teasles
Oak planted by the Martello Branch of the Seaford Women's Institute on 18 May 2011.
(Eastern Extension, Section G) |
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| Felling and Replanting |
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| The hurricane which hit Southern England in October 1987 severely damaged trees along the Alfriston Road, and some within the exposed cemetery, as shown in the pictures below, and a number had to be felled and removed. Trees lining the entrance road also came down, and their stumps are still visible. The wall around the Main Area was broken by falling trees in several places, and some headstones were flattened or broken. Tiles on the Chapel roof also had to be repaired. Many of the trees were replaced, thanks to Seaford's twin-town, Bönningstedt, in 1988, but in August 1989 no less than 19 young lime saplings were found to have been snapped in half by vandals. It was reported that an anonymous benefactor offered £400 to help make good the senseless destruction, but whether his offer was taken up is unclear. |
Trees blown through the South wall along Alfriston Road, Oct 1987 |
Along the South wall and main pathway, Oct 1987 |
Clearing branches and logs, Oct 1987 |
Note the Chapel and more damage in the background, Oct 1987 |
Norman Baker of LDC planting a pine, Feb 1991 |
Stumps from 1987 along the entrance road |
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| Several of the old stumps remain visible. During 'National Tree Week' in February 1991, the then Leader of Lewes District Council, Norman Baker (above), and the Seaford Sub-Committee Chairman, Cllr Diana Stiles, planted two pines along the Alfriston Road boundary, but more trees were lost in strong winds in 2014.
The next planting, by the Council at residents' suggestion, to compensate was in March 2016, when Acer campestre (field maple) saplings were planted in a group at corners of Blocks E5 and F2, where trees had once stood. |
Acer campestre saplings in Sections E & F |
The growing saplings. North of the Chapel, looking East
from Section E to Sections F and G |
