Ballard & Shortall Funeral Directors

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Ballard & Shortall Funeral Directors

Ballard & Shortall supports families across Crawley, East Grinstead, Forest Row, Horley and Horsham. Because Every Life is Unique

With a heritage dating back to 1899, our caring team provides personal, professional funeral care when you need it most. Through our work as Community Champions we hope to challenge and change out of date negative perceptions of funeral directors by working closely with the communities in which we work. We are more than just a funeral director and have been a family business for over 330 years. We

are dedicated to making a difficult time that little bit easier and carry our philosophy that every life is unique in every aspect of our lives. We intend to make a valuable contribution to our local communities and to continue to break down the taboo’s surrounding the work of a funeral director.

01/04/2026

Our Horsham window is looking rather springlike this week. 🐣

Wendy has put together a little something for Easter. If you've got small ones who'd like to colour in an Easter picture, pop in and pick one up. Bring it back when it's done and we'll display it in the window for everyone to see. There's a small Easter treat waiting for them too.

We'd love the window to be full of colour by the weekend.

02/03/2026

This month, the team at Ballard & Shortall, East Grinstead are walking 100K in support of Sands.

Every step we take is to raise funds for baby loss and bereavement support — a cause that means so much to so many families.

If you're able to donate, we would be so grateful - every donation makes a difference.
https://fundraising.sands.org.uk/fundraisers/ballardshortalleastgrinstead

24/02/2026

He was a West Ham man. Loved fishing. Loved shooting. His sister wanted all of it in the farewell.

So the coffin came in claret and blue. The spray was built around a deer skull with pheasant feathers, deep red roses, eucalyptus, blue eryngium, and green berries spilling over the edges of the wicker.

Every colour chosen for a reason. Every detail placed with him in mind.

18/02/2026

Lovely to finally put faces to names. Karen and Natalie from Ballard & Shortall popped into East Grinstead Town Council to meet Ellie and Jazz in person. They're the wonderful team who manage our local cemetery. Of course, we couldn't turn up empty-handed… homemade muffins for the whole team! 🧁

12/02/2026

Eighteen Porsches and a Morgan. That was the procession.

Not because it was showy. Because it was him.

They called him the Squadron Leader. Pilot's licence. Porsche on the drive. The Porsche Owners Club was his world, and he was at the heart of it.

So when the time came, they drove him from his home in Smallfield to Surrey and Sussex Crematorium. Eighteen cars. One last convoy. The kind of goodbye he'd have loved.

Because every life is unique.

23/12/2025

If you need us over Christmas and New Year, we're here.

Our 24-hour line stays open. Find your local home at www.cpjfield.co.uk/contact-us

19/12/2025

🏡☕ Thank you, Horley, for coming out.

Kevin West made the sausage rolls and cheese & onion rolls himself. Both were gone by noon.

Coffee. Conversation. And the questions you actually wanted to ask about funerals, asked openly, answered honestly, in a room that felt more like a neighbour's kitchen than a funeral home.

It was good to see you.

16/12/2025

White horses. Red plumes. A procession through Horley for Joy.

When Joy's daughter, Christine, asked about a horse and carriage, she said it felt right.

Christine visited her mum every day while she was with us. First at East Grinstead, then at Horley. Our colleagues supported her through those visits, the time before the funeral when you just need to sit with someone you're going to miss.

On the day, the horses led Joy through streets she had known. White carriage. Red draped. Heads turning as they passed.

09/12/2025

🎁🎄 Last week, our funeral arranger Wendy, together with Jeremy, delivered toys to Horsham Salvation Army, UK on behalf of Ballard & Shortall, Horsham.

Thank you to everyone who contributed. Many families struggle to provide gifts for their children, but because of your generosity, those children will wake up to something under the tree this Christmas.

08/12/2025

Our window in Horsham, dressed for December.

We know this time of year can be really difficult for some families. Whatever you need, we're here.

24/11/2025

These women filled 5 million shrapnel shells during World War One.

At Site 39. Right here in Horley.

On Saturday, the Horley History Society unveiled a blue plaque at the Archway Theatre to mark their work.

We were pleased to support the project. Nicola attended on behalf of Ballard & Shortall.

Some stories deserve to be remembered.

Address

Ballard & Shortall, 12 Hartfield Road
Forest Row
RH18 5DN

Website

http://www.ballardandshortall.co.uk/

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Our story

Through our work as Community Champions we hope to challenge and change out of date negative perceptions of funeral directors by working closely with the communities in which we work. We are more than just a funeral director and have been a family business for over 325 years. We are dedicated to making a difficult time that little bit easier and carry our philosophy that every life is unique in every aspect of our lives. We intend to make a valuable contribution to our local communities and to continue to break down the taboo’s surrounding the work of a funeral director.