Grave & Headstone Cleaning at Novo Cemetery
Tower Hamlets · E1 4NS · Faith cemetery · opened 1733
Closed to new burials — but its memorials still stand, and families still visit. Older stone weathers hardest, so this is exactly the kind of ground that needs careful care.
Get a Free Novo Cemetery QuoteIn short
Yes — memorial cleaning can be arranged at Novo Cemetery, the Sephardi burial ground within Queen Mary University’s Mile End campus, used from 1733 to 1922. Its flat ledger stones, some carrying notable Sephardi names, often show soiling and weathering from two centuries outdoors. Being publicly accessible during university hours makes visiting straightforward, but any cleaning work needs both QMUL and community consent and must use gentle, stone-safe methods.
About Novo Cemetery
Novo Cemetery, within the Queen Mary University of London campus on Mile End Road, is a Sephardi burial ground opened in 1733 when the nearby Velho filled, closing in 1922. Grade II listed, it is one of only two exclusively Sephardi cemeteries left in England. About 7,500 sets of remains were relocated to Brentwood in 1974; the surviving ledger stones remain as a landscaped, publicly accessible feature.
Access: The site sits within the Queen Mary University campus and is publicly accessible during university hours, but any memorial work needs consent from both QMUL and the Sephardi community before proceeding.
- Opened
- 1733
- Heritage status
- Grade II listed
Permission: memorial work here is governed by the burial authority. In practice the registered grave owner’s consent is what we ask for, and we work to the site’s own memorial rules — see their memorial guidance, or our guide to who needs permission to clean a grave.
Communities We Serve Here
Services We Provide at Novo Cemetery
Common Stone Types Here
How It Works at Novo Cemetery
Tell us the plot
Send us the section and grave reference at Novo Cemetery. You do not need to attend — we come to you.
Free quote
We confirm the stone type and condition (a photo helps) and give a clear, no-obligation price before any work begins.
We carry out the work
Our specialist works gently with stone-safe methods, following the cemetery’s regulations — never pressure washing.
Before & after photos
You receive before-and-after photographs and a short written report, usually within 24 hours.
Novo Cemetery is one of many burial grounds we care for across Tower Hamlets and the wider capital. We work in council, private, faith and heritage cemeteries throughout all 32 London boroughs and the M25 — see more cemeteries we cover, our grave cleaning service, or memorial care by faith and community.
For the wider area, see headstone cleaning in Tower Hamlets or headstone cleaning across East London.
Grave Cleaning Near Novo Cemetery
We care for graves across every borough in this part of London — explore grave and headstone cleaning by area.
Nearby Cemeteries We Cover
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- Cleaning different headstone stone types
Granite, marble, limestone, sandstone and slate each need a different approach. This guide covers them all.
- What happens at a Jewish stone-setting?
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- Caring for a grave when you live far away
Grave care when you can't visit: how a maintenance plan keeps a loved one's memorial tended from overseas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a grave cleaned at Novo Cemetery?+
Yes. We provide professional, stone-safe grave and headstone cleaning at Novo Cemetery, following the cemetery’s regulations. Just give us the section and grave reference and we’ll do the rest.
Do I need to be present?+
No. We only need the cemetery name and plot reference. We send before-and-after photographs and a short report when the work is done.
How much does grave cleaning at Novo Cemetery cost?+
A single headstone clean starts from £75 and a full grave clean from £85, depending on stone type, condition and access. We always provide a free, no-obligation quote first.
Is Novo Cemetery the same as the older Velho Cemetery in Mile End?+
No — they are two separate Sephardi cemeteries. The Velho, behind Mile End Road, is the older of the two, opened in 1657. Novo opened in 1733, once the Velho was full, and is now enclosed within the Queen Mary University campus rather than the closed, locked Velho site. Both survive, but they are reached and administered differently.
Nearby Areas
Book a Visit to Novo Cemetery
Free, no-obligation assessment. Just tell us the section and grave reference.
Contact Us TodayPage last updated 24 September 2026