Thetford Cemetery

The town cemetery is located on London Road and holds plots of all denominations. It is owned and run by Thetford Town Council.

The cemetery was previously overseen by the Town Council's Cemetery Committee, which met quarterly. View previous agendas, minutes and other documents. From May 2023, the Cemetary Committe has been disbanded, and its role taken over by the Amenities Committee. View agendas, minutes and other documents.

For full details about cemetery, including a list of fees and charges, see the Town Council Cemetery page.

The cemetery contains 46 identified Commonwealth War Graves from the First and Second World Wars. Further details can be found on the CWGC record for Thetford Cemetery.

Opening Times

Traditionally, the cemetery was open from 7am to 4pm in the summer and 7am to 4pm in the winter. But at some point during the Covid Pandemic, this changed to 7am to 4pm all year round. Following criticism of these opening hours in summer 2023, the Town Council agreed to extend the hours, so it would remain open until 7pm Monday to Thursday.

• Thetford Cemetery to extend summer hours after requests by residents, Suffolk News, 12th July 2023.
• Extended Summer Opening Hours at Cemetery, Thetford Town Council press release, 12th July 2023.
• Thetford Cemetery Opening Hours Feedback, consultation by Thetford Town Counil, 13th July 2023.

Wildflower Meadow

In July 2019 Thetford Town Council announced that three areas of the cemetery would be left uncut as wild meadows to encourage flowers and as a habitat for other wildlife. Other steps to encourage wildlife at the sites would also be taken.

• Cemetery Wildflower Meadows, Thetford Town Council, 30th July 2019.

Regulation Enforcement

In 2017, Thetford Town Council started enforcing some of the cemetery plot rules more rigorously than they had in the past. Several plot-holders were very upset by the way that this was handled, as they felt the rules had not been made clear enough, the Council had failed to communicate with plot-holders, and the council's approach lacked sensitivity.

• Mother's hurt after being asked to remove items from son's grave in Thetford, Eastern Daily Press, 26th September 2017.
• Thetford mother battles over son’s grave, Bury Free Press, 7th May 2018.
• Help Thetford Town Council To Listen & Compromise Regarding Cemetery Rules & Regulations, Change.org Petition, 2018.

Burial Restrictions

From around 2017, the number of burials in the cemetery has been limited because of fears that it is contributing to pollution of ground water. As a result, burials are now restricted to parish residents.

• Burials restricted at Thetford Cemetery due to pollution fears, Eastern Daily Press, 7th February 2017.