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The Church of St Thomas More was built in 1935-36 and is therefore the newest of the Seaford churches included here. The grounds being limited in extent, it has no graveyard, but does have a Garden of Remembrance, containing a number of memorial tablets. They date from 1984, by which time cremation had became more accepted and common for Roman Catholics in England, in the wake of changes introduced during the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). Prior to Vatican II, cremation had only been permitted for the dead in circumstances where large numbers needed to be disposed of quickly, such as during plagues or following battles. Burial remains preferred over cremation by the Catholic Church as a general rule. Catholics, and members of other Non-Conformist faiths, have been buried in Seaford Cemetery since its opening in 1897. |
The outside memorials are arranged in two main rows, corresponding to approximate date order. The first row runs from West to East parallel with Sutton Road; the second row then runs back from East to West. Further memorials are grouped under the trees closer to the Church.
The memorial tablets vary in material, and include traditional sandstone, marble, slate & polished granite. All lettering is incised, and most are in gold, white or silver. Some plots have no tablet, and are marked by inscribed metal plates on a wooden plaque. A majority have a Cross above the inscription, and a Marian monogram (M)is evident: |
