This site was last updated on 29/06/2009
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THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE FRIENDS OF HOUGHTON HILLSIDE CEMETERY
NEWS UPDATE:-
OPEN DAY - SATURDAY 18TH JULY 2009 WILL MARK THE 6TH ANNUAL OPEN DAY FOR THE FRIENDS. THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE BETWEEN 12 NOON AND 4 PM AT HILLSIDE. ATTRACTIONS WILL INCLUDE: BOUNCY CASTLE, TOMBOLA, RAFFLE, CREAM TEAS, TOURS ETC., COME ALONG AND JOIN IN THE CELEBRATIONS - EVERYONE WELCOME
ON SATURDAY 13TH JUNE 2009 THE FRIENDS HOSTED THE AGM FOR THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF CEMETERY FRIENDS. THE EVENT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS WITH DELEGATES ATTENDING FROM AS FAR AFIELD AS ITHE ISLE OF WIGHT, PLYMOUTH AND LONDON. THE SUN SHONE THROUGHOUT THE DAY THEREFORE A TOUR OF HILLSIDE WAS INCLUDED IN THE DAYS ACTIVITIES. THANKS HAS TO BE GIVEN TO THE CITY OF SUNDERLAND FOR THE FUNDING FOR THE EVENT. PHOTOS OF THE EVENT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THIS SITE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
FUNDING - A BIG THANK YOU HAS TO BE GIVEN TO THE ROTARY CLUB FOR THEIR RECENT GENEROUS DONATION RECEIVED BY THE FRIENDS TO HELP TOWARDS THE COST OF THE RESTORATION OF THE MEMORIAL AT HILLSIDE.
PHOENIX PROJECT - IT IS HOPED THAT THE WORK ON THE RESTORATION OF THE MEMORIAL AT THE FAR END OF HILLSIDE WILL COMMENCE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. THE STONE HAS BEEN ORDERED AND THE FRIENDS ARE CURRENTLY AWAITING A DATE FROM THE STONEMASON TO FIND OUT WHEN THE WORK CAN START. FURTHER DETAILS WILL BE PUBLISHED ONCE KNOWN.
ON MONDAY 13TH APRIL 2009 THE FRIENDS CARRIED OUT A SPONSORED WALK FROM DURHAM CATHEDRAL TO ST PETERS AT SUNDERLAND. DETAILS OF HOW MUCH WAS RAISED WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
DESPITE THE RECENT VANDALISM TO THE LYCH GATE AND CLIFF FACE THE FRIENDS ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT MOST OF THE GRAFFITI HAS NOW BEEN REMOVED. PHOTOS OF THE VANDALISM CAN BE FOUND AT THE FOOT OF THIS PAGE.
WELCOME TO OUR SITE
Welcome to the official website for The Friends of Houghton Hillside Cemetery. The group are a non religious non profit earning group. Any funds which are raised are for the benefit of the cemetery and are used to assist in its restoration or events hosted by the group.
Hillside is a cemetery located on the outskirts of Houghton Le Spring and the recently restored Lych Gate can be seen when driving along Houghton Cut on the A690 towards Sunderland. It is in actual fact not a cemetery but a detached burial ground for St Michaels and All Angels Church however it is more often than not referred to as ’the old cemetery’
It was consecrated in 1854 by Rector John Grey after a lot of controversy as the site was initially a quarry.
There had been an outbreak of Cholera in Houghton Le Spring and as the churchyard surrounding St Michael & All Angels Church was full another site had to be found. Eventually after a lot of debating the Hillside site was consecrated.
Initially the main entrance to the site was through Hillside Farm next door but in 1873 the Lych Gate was built and this became the entrance. The Lych Gate was damaged due to a road traffic accident in the 1960's. Due to the site being used less and less the Lych Gate soon became overgrown with ivy and other climbing plants. However the Lych Gate and surrounding railings were restored in 2006/7 by the group with the assistance of LHI funding.
Although the site was a split level site, Hillside soon started to fill up and it was found necessary to have an extension which was opened in 1894. This also coincided with the opening of the Municipal Cemetery on Durham Road in Houghton Le Spring but as the municipal did not at the time have a consecrated area the authorities were forced to extend Hillside. There were about 7000 burials in total took place at Hillside.
The last burial took place at Hillside in the 1970’s. Also when the A690 was built through Houghton Cut in the 1960’s the cemetery was forgotten about. Sunderland Street where the cemetery is located became a dead end due to the recently built dual carriageway. Hillside quickly became overgrown and a haven for wildlife. During the building of the A690 the headstones on the plateau area of the site were bulldozed and plateau levelled. The stones are supposedly buried in the top left hand corner of the site. There are over 7000 people buried at Hillside including Rector Grey and Thomas Usherwood Robinson. Thomas Usherwood Robinson being the main objector in the controversy! Ironic to think that even though he was one of the main objectors he ended up at Hillside in the end.
In December 2003 following a public meeting the Friends of Houghton Hillside Cemetery were formed and since the formation of the group the site is starting to return to its former glory.
So far the group have carried out substantial conservation works within the site and also secured funds which saw the restoration of the Lych Gate and Railings at the entrance. They have also held their own fund raising events such as their annual open days, a sponsored graveyard gallop and more recently in 2008 a sponsored 10 mile walk. The walk was undertaken in atrocious weather conditions as it rained from beginning to end but this did not deter the Friends who took part.
Tours of the site are undertaken several times each year and each time are attended by new visitors to the site together with many visitors who support the group year after year.
Pictured above is a view of the Plateau area of the site. It is one of the most serene, peaceful places around Houghton Le Spring area. Throughout the year it is a haven for wildlife and in the summer is the home to some rare flowers and other vegitation.
Pictured above is how the entrance to Hillside looked around 1907.
Pictured above is the pathway leading to the site at the top of Sunderland Street. This was once the main throughfare to Sunderland however once the A690 opened Sunderland Street became a dead end.
Sadly, the site has been plagued with vandalism. At the beginning of 2009 the Standish Vault was once again broken into and more recently the steel plate securing the front of the Elliott Vault has been pulled off. Numerous times the group have visited the site and discovered lots of rubbish strewn around including beer cans and wine bottles and also the remenents of fires. One one occassion a tent had been erected on the bottom level!!!! However, this has not detered the members and they continue with their endeavors to restore the site.
Within this site we do hope you will enjoy reading about the history of Hillside and also the works carried out by the Friends and also the intended work to be carried out.
Pictured above is Sunderland Street, Houghton Le Spring, how it used to look. Hillside Cemetery is situated at the top of Sunderland Street. Sunderland Street is now a dead end.
VANDALISM
Pictured below are some pictures of the vandalised Lych Gate & Cliff Faces
  
  
 
The Lych Gate cost in the region of £33,000 to restore therefore all of the graffiti has been reported to the police. | 
