Tester & Jones Funeral Services

11/02/2026

We are proud to, once again, be sponsoring one of the concerts at the Mayfield Festival of Music and the Arts. This biennial event takes place this year from Sunday 26 April to Sunday 10 May and will feature dance music, gospel, film, choral music, chamber music, symphonic music and, for the first time in the history of the Festival, opera.

Mayfield Festival was originally founded in 1970 by Kenneth Pont, the then director of music at St Dunstan’s Parish Church. Over the years, programmes have included performances by names such as James Galway, Evelyn Glennie, Victoria de los Angeles, Dame Janet Baker and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

Tester & Jones is sponsoring Gian Carlo Menotti’s one-act radio opera, ‘The Old Maid and The Thief’, on Thursday 30 April at St Dunstan’s Church. This is the centrepiece of an evening of American music curated by musicians of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, under the baton of Tom Hawkey-Soar.

Written as the first opera specifically for radio in 1939, this witty tale of small-town intrigue, gossip and deception, will be paired with Barber’s radiant ‘Knoxville: Summer of 1915’, Gershwin’s ‘Three Preludes for Piano’ and more, to complete an evening of transatlantic mid-century elegance and charm.

To book tickets or for more information: https://mayfieldfestival.co.uk/

09/02/2026

"I would like to thank William and the team for the comforting, professional way you guided us through the funeral. You made a difficult and challenging day much easier for all."

07/02/2026

This National Send a Card to a Friend Day, why not drop a line to somebody you know who has been bereaved recently to tell them you are thinking about them. We all appreciate the simple pleasure of receiving a card or a letter in the post to say we are in somebody's thoughts.

05/02/2026

Have you seen the signs around town for the Crowborough Rotary Barn Dance? There's one outside our building in London Road.

Join Glenys and the team for an energetic fundraiser on Friday 27 February at Crowborough Community Centre. Popular ceilidh band, Tight Squeeze and caller, Charlotte Oliver, are guaranteed to get you up and dancing.

Tickets are £17.50, which includes a light supper. There will also be a bar and a raffle.

Visit www.crowboroughrotary.org to find out more.

04/02/2026

Here at Tester & Jones Funeral Services, our funeral arrangers are the ‘public face’ of the firm but we couldn’t be supporting families locally without our team ‘behind the scenes’ as well. One of those people is Mike Scarlett, who has been with us for nearly three years and works alongside Glenn.

Mike’s role is varied and includes helping with collecting deceased from care homes, hospices, private houses or hospital mortuaries. He also assists Glenn in preparing coffins – adding linings, handles and nameplates. Occasionally, he will download music families have requested for a funeral service. On the day of the funeral, he might be the team member driving the hearse, or if required, our limousine.

Read more about Mike: https://www.testerandjones.co.uk/post/meet-mike

31/01/2026

We love how welcoming, calm and peaceful our arranging lounges are.

28/01/2026

"Dear Louise. We wanted to thank you all at Tester & Jones, especially yourself, for all your care and help in the proceedings for Mum’s funeral. As far as things go, it was a good day. We were very grateful to you all for how kindly and patiently you dealt with us, guiding us in the right direction when we didn’t really have a clue what we were doing. Thank you."

26/01/2026

In the UK, around 78% of funerals involve a cremation, which then leaves our families the decision of what to do with their loved one’s ashes. However, there’s no immediate haste to make a decision. You are welcome to take the ashes home with you for as long as you want, before making plans, or we can keep them securely at our premises.

If you do take the ashes home, you could simply keep them in a casket or perhaps place them in your garden. If you do decide to ‘bury’ the ashes, then we can suggest caskets which are made for this purpose and won’t split after time.

We offer a wide variety of urns and your choice will be partly dictated by what you decide to do with the ashes. If you are storing them at home – perhaps on a shelf – then we can offer some really stunning containers.

Ashes can also be interred in a cemetery, including our new local one at Summersales, where there are a number of options available. We can support families to do this and can arrange for a small service if required.

Read our latest blog for more ideas about what to do with ashes: https://www.testerandjones.co.uk/post/ideas-with-ashes

In the UK, around 78% of funerals involve a cremation, which then leaves our families the decision of what to do with their loved one’s ashes. However, there’s no immediate haste to make a decision. You are welcome to take the ashes home with you for as long as you want, before making plans, or ...

24/01/2026

"Mandy and the team at Tester & Jones, we cannot thank you enough for your thoughtful kindness and demure in helping me with all the arrangements. So very grateful to you. I’ve popped in and out on many occasions, needing help and you were there, prompt and kind. Well done to you all and thank you."

23/01/2026

Stop press: The match today at the Tester & Jones Sportsground has been postponed.

We are back on home soil this Saturday as we entertain AFC Walcountians at the Tester and Jones Sportsground

Kick off 3pm

Come along and support the Brook 💙
Bar and cafe open
Adults £6, Concessions £1, U16 Free

22/01/2026

We feel very privileged to support so many local families at such a difficult time and are very proud of the thank you letters and notes we receive afterwards, such as this one:

21/01/2026

We are back on home soil this Saturday as we entertain AFC Walcountians at the Tester and Jones Sportsground

Kick off 3pm

Come along and support the Brook 💙
Bar and cafe open
Adults £6, Concessions £1, U16 Free