Cemeteries / Kensington & Chelsea
Grave & Headstone Cleaning at Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea
Kensington & Chelsea · SW3 4SR · Private cemetery · opened 2004
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 Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea QuoteIn short
The Old Burial Ground at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, consecrated in 1691, holds headstones, table tombs and ledger slabs surviving from over 10,000 historic interments, many showing the algae and weathering typical of centuries-old stone. It reopened in 2004 for the interment of cremated remains. As part of a Grade II registered landscape, any cleaning has to be careful, conservation-minded work in line with the Hospital’s access and heritage rules.
About Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea
The Old Burial Ground, in the north-east corner of the Royal Hospital Chelsea grounds, was consecrated in 1691 and holds roughly 10,000 interments up to the last burial in 1854. Closed to full burials since then, it reopened in 2004 for the interment of cremated remains, and its surviving headstones, table tombs and ledger slabs continue to be tended within the wider Royal Hospital landscape.
Access: Administered by the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Entry is not open to the public — visits are by application to the Royal Hospital Constable at London Gate — and as a Grade II registered landscape, any memorial work needs the Hospital’s consent.
- Opened
- 2004
Services We Provide at Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea
Common Stone Types Here
How It Works at Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea
Tell us the plot
Send us the section and grave reference at Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea. 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.
Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea is one of many burial grounds we care for across Kensington & Chelsea 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 Kensington & Chelsea.
Grave Cleaning Near Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea
We care for graves across every borough in this part of London — explore grave and headstone cleaning by area.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have a grave cleaned at Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea?+
Yes. We provide professional, stone-safe grave and headstone cleaning at Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea, 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 Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea 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.
Can new interments still take place at the Old Burial Ground?+
Only in a limited way. The burial ground closed to full interments in 1854, but it reopened in 2004 for the interment of cremated remains, so contemporary family connections are usually through ashes rather than a full grave. The historic headstones, table tombs and ledger slabs from before 1854 remain the ground’s main memorials.
Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea
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Free, no-obligation assessment. Just tell us the section and grave reference.
Contact Us TodayPage last updated 20 September 2026