Update – 12 November 2025:
Nottingham City Council is pleased to announce that Rock Cemetery has reopened to the public following a comprehensive program of headstone testing to ensure visitor safety. Nottingham City Council is happy to facilitate the reopening, while also maintaining reduced opening hours to allow staff to continue essential maintenance and safety testing works.
While most areas of the cemetery are now accessible, certain sections remain cordoned off. Visitors are asked to respect all notices and barriers in place and to refrain from approaching, touching, or leaning on headstones.
As we approach the time of year when many wish to visit the cemetery to pay their respects and reflect, Nottingham City Council is conscious of the importance of providing safe access while continuing essential works.
We appreciate the patience and understanding of our community as we carry out these essential works, Rock Cemetery is an important historic and cultural site and maintaining both safety and respect for the memorials is our top priority.
Visitors are encouraged to follow all signage and guidance while on the grounds. Further updates and progress will be shared via our website Cemeteries, Crematorium & Burial Grounds – Nottingham City Council
Update – 15 July 2025: thanks to the quick work of colleagues, we have been able to reopen Northern Cemetery as of today (15 July 2025)
Councillor Coral Jenkins, Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, Waste and Equalities said: “Nottingham City Council has taken the decision to temporarily close Northern Cemetery and Rock (Church) cemetery with immediate effect, following safety tests on a number of older gravestones.
“This follows the tragic accident in Rawtenstall last week, when a gravestone fell on a four-year-old boy.
“We were deeply saddened to hear this news, and our condolences go out to Eli’s family.
“Like others, we quickly stood up testing in our own cemetery sites, to ensure the safety of those who visit our sites.
“We operate three active cemeteries across Nottingham and our two other sites, Highwood and Wilford Hill Cemetery, have been assessed and are considered safe, however there are a number of gravestones we have deemed unsafe, and we will now work to rectify this.
“Public safety is our utmost priority, and I thank officers for acting swiftly and responsibly to assess and manage risks. It is right to close temporarily while we make the site safe, which we expect to have completed by next week.
“We are contacting families who have burials planned over the next week, to confirm that their ceremonies can go ahead.
“While we appreciate that this may impact some people wishing to visit loved ones, we’d like to thank the public for their understanding of the need to ensure safety, above all else.”
You can sign a virtual book of remembrance here.