C Waterhouse & Sons

21/01/2026

"A day well spent giving back"

Our team had a fantastic time volunteering for Hospice in the Weald’s Christmas Tree Collection. From unloading vans to meeting friendly faces along the way, we loved being part of this ‘tree-mendous’ effort to raise funds for local hospice care in 2026.

Supporting our community is at the heart of what we do at C Waterhouse & Sons and Heathfield Funeral Service, and we’re so glad we could lend a helping hand.

Congratulations to for a well-organised and successful campaign that aimed to collect 2,600 trees and raise over £57,000 for terminal illness care. The collected trees are recycled into wood chips for use within the community, ensuring a sustainable end to the festive season.

19/01/2026

Today, January 19, 2026, is often referred to as ‘Blue Monday’—a day when the weight of the winter months and the post-holiday slump can feel particularly heavy. At C. Waterhouse & Sons and Heathfield Funeral Service, we know that when you are grieving, every day can feel like a struggle, but today serves as an important reminder that your mental health matters.

You don’t have to carry this burden alone. As proud members of SAIF, we are pleased to offer our families access to SAIF Care. This is a free, confidential bereavement support service designed to help you navigate your journey through grief with the help of trained professionals.
How SAIF Care can help:
Helpline: Call free on 0800 917 7224 (Mon-Fri, 9 am–9 pm).
Webchat: Access instant support via the SAIF Care Chat.
Email: Reach out at help@saifcare.org.uk.
Professional Counselling: One-on-one sessions with qualified therapists, available in person or online.

For our colleagues and friends within the funeral profession, please remember that SAIF Support is also available, to all SAIF accredited funeral directors and their staff.

Whether you are a grieving family member or a dedicated professional, please reach out. Support is just a phone call or click away.

15/01/2026

It was our pleasure to help St Wilfrid's Hospice with their recent Christmas Tree Collection, what a success it was - well done to all involved!

09/01/2026

We loved reading this, so we thought we'd share. C. Waterhouse & Sons has been based in Burwash for 100 Years, dating back to 1926.

𝐒𝐔𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐗 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐄 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘
𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 2

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲: Burwash
𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻/𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲:
Burrish

𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Stubble field near a stronghold

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀:
OE burhersc > Burhercse c.1170 > Burghesse 1279 > Burgherssh alias Burwassh 1440 > Burrishe 1586

"There is no trace of an earthwork here now."

———

Once a day, we will be posting a different place name from Sussex, including the local Sussex dialect pronunciation or name for each location.

These derivations and recordings have been taken from ‘The Place Names of Sussex’ collected and compiled by Judith Glover, and published in 1975.

The local dialect pronunciations and names have been taken from the following publications:-

• 'Contributions to Literature: Historical, Antiquarian, and Metrical', Mark Antony Lower, 1854.
•'A Compendious History of Sussex', Mark Antony Lower, 1870.
•'A Dictionary of Sussex Dialect’, William Douglas Parish, 1875.
•A Glossary of Dialectal Place-Nomenclature', Robert Charles Hope, 1883
•'A Handbook of Sussex' The Great Tower Street Tea Company, 1894
•'East Sussex Place Names by An Old-Fashioned Man', Walter Gillet, 1920, 1925 and 1933
•'The Place Names of Sussex', Judith Glover, 1975
•'A History of the People of Sussex', Chris Hare, 1995
•'The South Downs', Peter Brandon, 1998
•'Sussex as She Wus Spoke', Tony Wales, 2000
•'Sussex', Peter Brandon, 2006
•'Wunt be Druv!', David Arscott, 2006

It isn't particularly easy to put a specific time scale on each dialect name - some pronunciations have eroded far quicker than others. A number of these local names didn't continue to be used prominently far into the 20th Century and became extinct due to exterior influences, therefore the older population of today still may not have even heard some of these, even in early childhood. Many of these dialectal names have proven to go back many centuries. For example, the Sussex vernacular "Brighton" for the town of ‘Brighthelmstone’ can be traced back to at least 1416.

We hope that by publishing these Sussex names, you may learn something new about where you live and even reintroduce the local diction into your vocabulary.

Maybe you will have some nostalgic memories of these pronunciations? Do your friends and family still use this Sussex speech?!

26/12/2025

Being bereaved is hard enough, let alone over Christmas. A time of year when traditionally people come together can serve as the starkest reminder of who is now absent or how times have changed. This period will cause many of us to act or mourn differently; there is no right or wrong way to grieve at Christmas.

Allow time for yourself and others to acknowledge the ever-changing nature of our lives, and if you are able, share with someone how you are feeling. For more help or advice, please access http://www.cruse.org.uk/understa.../managing-grief/christmas

23/12/2025

We will continue to be available on the phone 01435 882219 (24/7) should you need us throughout the whole Christmas period. With the exception of the bank holidays, 25th and 26th December and the 1st January, the office will be open normal working hours 8.30am to 5.30pm.

We wish everyone a peaceful Christmas and New Year.

17/12/2025

Throughout December, we have been partaking in tree festivals across East Sussex. We would like to thank so many of you for such an overwhelming response to our Remembrance Robins. We have received so much feedback and have loved the reception to them from you all.

We would like to gently remind you that if you still haven't collected your Remembrance Robin from us that you may do so now in time for Christmas, or until the end of February.

10/12/2025

Thank you to Hospice in the Weald for welcoming some of our team into the in the Weald Tunbridge Wells store on Friday last week for Volunteer Day. We were grateful for the opportunity to support where help was needed - processing donations from many of your stores and drop-off points.

You were all so welcoming, and we look forward to continuing to work with you and other hospices that do the fantastic work and loving care you provide all the people that you work with.

05/12/2025

International Volunteer Day - 5th December

Today, we celebrate the incredible impact of volunteers worldwide. At C. Waterhouse & Sons and Heathfield Funeral Service, we know the importance of giving back, not just through our services but by supporting our communities in every way we can.

Volunteering isn’t just a one-day event; some of our dedicated team will be out volunteering today and, in the weeks, to come, contributing to causes close to our hearts. From charity events to local support initiatives, we're proud to be part of a movement that truly makes a difference.

A huge thank you to all the volunteers who give their time, energy, and love. You’re the heart of our communities, and we’re so grateful for you!

26/11/2025

It's Wednesday, and we've another turn under the spotlight - continuing our series where we share a little more about ‘Who We Are’.

Each post, we’ll be introducing you to one of the friendly faces you might see or speak to when you get in touch with us. From our team’s roles to their names and faces - you’ll get to know the people behind our name.

We’ll also share a bit of our history, what we stand for, and why we’re so passionate about providing care with compassion and respect in every moment. As an established, trusted and respected name in the funeral profession, we strive to deliver our ‘traditional values with a modern approach’.

So, whether you’ve known us for years or are just finding out who we are, we hope this series brings you closer to the people who make our work possible and allows you to get to know ‘Who We Are’.

With only a handful of weeks left in 2025, we've plenty of time for the last few familiar faces. For Week 9, it's time for Phillip Hawkins to be the focus of the week!