(Skip to List of Natural Burial Grounds)
Also known as nature reserve burial grounds, green or sometimes woodland burial grounds, these are cemeteries based upon a very different ethos - and one that sits peacefully within the tenets of Druidry. For here there is a perfect weave of reverence for nature (and in particular the nonhuman environment) and the ancestors. A good natural burial ground is an ongoing expression of respect for both.
When it is declared that cremation is a better option because 'land is for the living', the speaker's anthropocentric perception is yelling through his words; for the land is for the living, but not just for human beings. While taking great care to protect and enhance the existing environment, a natural burial ground will, at the same time, gradually develop areas of woodland, meadow and other habitats, through careful management and planting. There are no headstones, curbs or mausolea; instead, trees and shrubs are planted to serve as natural living memorials. At some sites, graves are dug carefully beneath already growing trees. At some, wild flowers and grasses are sown or planted to create meadows. Natural burial grounds become havens for nonhuman nature.
Environmental care requires that only coffins (and urns for cremated remains) made from eco-friendly products are allowed at most natural burial grounds. These are often of willow or wicker, bamboo, solid pine, cardboard or papier maché, constructed without toxic glues, paints and varnishes. Burial of embalmed bodies is not permitted, the embalming chemicals that would leach into the soil being thoroughly poisonous.
Natural burial grounds are open to all. They are seldom linked to any one religion or belief, although individual graves can be consecrated as desired. Grave-side services are often held, or the body is interred after a service at a local church or other sacred site, but many people who choose natural burial grounds are not religious, seeking simply the sense of natural peace and beauty that prevails at a well managed site.
The aim for the majority of natural burial grounds is to develop as areas of outstanding beauty, creating a variety of wildlife rich habitats and a fitting memorial to loved ones. In choosing a natural burial, you are contributing to an area which will grow and evolve to be enjoyed for many generations to come.
Of course, in reality they come in many different forms. Some are very wild, becoming very muddy in the winter months, where trees grow through long grasses, and wellies are necessary for visiting and funerals. Others can be rather formal, with their own chapel of rest, toilets, office and tarmacked roads. Some are simply extensions of an acre or two at the edge of a conventional municipal cemetery or churchyard. Some allow pet burials. Some are miles from anywhere, while others sit beside busy roads. The prices vary widely between sites, as they do at other cemeteries. It is important when considering a natural burial ground, for yourself or for another, that you go and visit the site.
If we look at all the various kinds of site, there are at the time of writing (Feb 07) over 200 natural burial grounds in the UK, either in operation or going through the hurdles of planning permission and set up. However, we feel that a good natural burial ground should be a dedicated site, not attached to a conventional cemetery or crematorium. On that basis, we provide here a list of dedicated sites not consecrated to any particular religious tradition. (The full list of all 200+ sites can be found in the Natural Death Handbook.)
We would very much like comments on the sites listed: if you know one of the following, or feel another site should be listed, please email us!
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List of Natural Burial Grounds in Britain
Aberdeenshire Ayrshire Berkshire Borders Buckinghamshire Cheshire Co Durham Cornwall Derbyshire Devon Dorset Essex Hampshire Herefordshire Isle of Wight Lancashire Leicestershire Lincolnshire Norfolk Monmouthshire Northamptonshire Northumberland Nottinghamshire Powys Rutland Shropshire Somerset Suffolk Surrey Warwickshire Worcestershire Yorkshire
SCOTLAND
Aberdeenshire
Clovery Woods of Rest, Brackenrig
Tel : 01651 891654
http://www.greenburials-scotland.co.uk
Opened : 200
Ayrshire
Craufurdland Woods, Fenwick
Tel : 01560 600767
woods [at] craufurdland [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.craufurdland.co.uk
Size : 3 acres
Borders
Hundy Mundy Wood, Kelso
Tel: 0131 661 7337
info [at] nativewoodland [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.nativewoodland.co.uk
NORTHERN ENGLAND
Cheshire
Friends of Nature Burial Ground, Mobberley, Cheshire
Tel : 0161 432 2131
georgeball [at] onetel [dot] com
http://www.burialswithnature.co.uk
Opened : 1998
Co Durham
Seven Penny Meadows Green Field Burial Ground, Medomsley, Co Durham
Tel : 01207 561229
http://www.sevenpennymeadows.co.uk
Opened : 2002
Size : 4.5 acres
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Lancashire
The West Pennine Remembrance Park, Entwistle, Lancashire
Tel : 01204 856848
info [at] remembranceparks [dot] com
http://www.remembranceparks.com
The Woodland Cemetry, Ellenbrook, Manchester
Tel : 0161 790 1300
woodland.cemetry [at] virgin [dot] net
Size : 12 acres
Lincolnshire
Birdsong Burial Ground, Alford
Tel : 01507 466644
willfarm [at] otago [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.greenburialsite.co.uk
Size : 5 acres
Northumberland
Northumbrian Woodland Burials, Bockenfield
Tel : 01670 787067
steve.clarehugh [at] virgin [dot] net
http://www.northumbrianwoodlandburials.co.uk
Size : 6 acres
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Yorkshire
Brocklands Woodland Burial, Rathmell
Tel : 01729 840102
info [at] brocklands [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.brocklands.co.uk
Opened : 2000
Size : 1.5 acres
South Yorkshire Woodland Burial Ground, Ulley
Tel : 0114 253 0505
peacefuner [at] aol [dot] com
http://www.peacefunerals.co.uk
Opened : 1995
Size : 2.8 acres
Tarn Moor Memorial Woodland, Stirton
Tel : 01756 701688
enquiries [at] tarnmoor [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.tarnmoor.co.uk
Opened : 2002
Size : 10 acres
Rose Hill Natural Burial Ground, Huddersfield
Tel : 01484546322
info [at] rosehillburials [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.rosehillburials.co.uk
WALES
Monmouthshire
Usk Castle Chase, Usk
Tel : 01600 716438
info [at] nativewoodland [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.nativewoodland.co.uk
Powys
Green Lane Burial Field, Abermule
Tel : 01686 630331
iforbh [at] farmersweekly [dot] net
http://www.greenlaneburialfield.co.uk
Opened : 2003
Size : 11 acres
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CENTRAL ENGLAND
Derbyshire
Golden Valley Woodland Burial Ground, Riddings
Tel : 0114 253 0505
peacefuner [at] aol [dot] com
http://www.peacefunerals.co.uk
Opened : 1996
Herefordshire
Humber Woodland of Remembrance, Leominster
Tel : 01568 760443
diane [at] humberwoodland [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.humberwoodland.co.uk
Leicestershire
Scraptoft Natural Burial Ground, Leicester
Tel : 0116 222 0247
info [at] naturalburial [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.naturalburial.co.uk
Opened : 2002
Prestwold Natural Burial Ground, Loughborough
Tel : 0116 222 0247
info [at] naturalburial [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.naturalburial.co.uk
Opened : 2000
Size : 3.7 acres
Norfolk
Colney Woodland Burial Park, Norwich
Tel : 01603 811770
enquiries [at] woodlandburialparks [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.woodlandburialparks.co.uk
Size : 12 acres
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Northamptonshire
Greenhaven Woodland Burial Ground, Lilbourne
Tel : 01788 860604
nichargreaves [at] hotmail [dot] com
http://www.greenhavenwoodland.com
Opened : 1994
Size : 14 acres
Nottinghamshire
Tithe Green Burial Ground, Oxton
Tel : 01623 882210
http://www.woodlandburialoxton.co.uk
Size : 40 acres
Rutland
Ketton Park Green Burial, Oakham
Tel : 01780 460000
mail [at] greenburial [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.greenburial.co.uk
Opened : 2000
Size : 35 acres
Shropshire
South Shropshire Remembrance Park, Church Stretton
Tel : 01584 841089
info [at] remembranceparks [dot] com
http://www.remembranceparks.com
Westhope Church Meadow Green Burial Ground, Craven Arms
Tel : 01584 861293
Size : 1.5 acres
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Suffolk
Greenwood Burial Ground, Saxmundham, Suffolk
Tel : 01728 603108
Size : 20 acres
Warwickshire
Sun Rising Natural Burial Ground, Tysoe, South Warwickshire
Tel : 01608 684600
office [at] nrbgrounds [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.nrbgrounds.co.uk
Opened : 2006
Size : 16 acres
Worcestershire
Strensham Green Burial Ground, Strensham
Tel : 0800 374759
gburials [at] talk21 [dot] com
http://www.greenburials.co.uk
Size : 7 acres
Westhall Park Woodland Burial, Holberrow Green
Tel : 01386 792806
tolley.d [at] westallpark [dot] fsnet [dot] co [dot] uk
http://westallpark.net
Opened : 1997
Size : 6 acres
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SOUTH ENGLAND
Berkshire
Acorn Ridge Natural Burial, Enborne
Tel : 01635 255441
http://www.acornridge.co.uk
Size : 20 acres
Buckinghamshire
Olney Green Burial Ground, Olney
Tel : 01234 241808
http://www.olneygreenburialground.co.uk
Opened : 2000
Size : 9.5 acres
Cornwall
Pontsmill Green Burial and Pet Cemetery, Par
Tel : 01726 813975
Size : 2 acres
Penwith Woodland Burial Place, Buryas Bridge
Tel : 01736 731808
penny.lally [at] btinternet [dot] com
http://www.woodlandburialplace.co.uk
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Devon
Crossways Farm, Cheriton Bishop
Tel : 01647 24382
info [at] crosswayswoodlandburials [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.crosswayswoodlandburials.co.uk
Mole Valley Green Burial Ground, Queens Nympton
Tel : 01769 574512
Size : 5 acres
Great Bradley Cottage Natural Burial Ground, Tiverton
Tel : 01884 256098
Opened : 2001
Size : 1 acre
Bidwell Woodland, Totnes
Tel : 07973 459065
andrew [at] bidwellwoodland [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.bidwellwoodland.co.uk
Size : 6 acres
Lower Heddon Field, Yealmpton
Tel : 07739 806898
linda.durman [at] virgin [dot] net
Opened : 2003
Size : 10 acres
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Dorset
The Poole and WImbourne Woodland Burial Ground, Colehill
Tel : 01202 888887
info [at] woodlandburial [dot] com
http://www.woodlandburial.com
Opened : 2002
Size : 24 acres
Ham Down Woodland Burial Ground, Shillingstone
Tel : 01258 471370
info [at] hamdown-greenburial [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.hamdown-greenburial.co.uk
Size : 2 acres
Hinton Park Woodland Burial Ground, Walkford
Tel : 01425 2789910
info [at] woodlandburial [dot] com
http://www.woodlandburial.com
Opened : 1995
Size : 14 acres
Essex
Epping Forest Burial Park
Tel: 01992 523863
email eppingenquiries [at] woodlandburialparks [dot] co [dot] uk( eppingenquiries [at] woodlandburialparks [dot] co [dot] uk
)
http://www.woodlandburialparks.co.uk
Opened 2007. 52 acres of existing mature woodland.
Herongate
Tel : 01992 814909
enquireies [at] woodlandandwildlife [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.woodlandandwildlife.co.uk
Opened : 2003
Size : 14 acres
Oakfield Wood Green Burial Ground, Manningtree
Tel : 01255 880182
gburials [at] talk21 [dot] com
http://www.greenburials.co.uk
Size : 7 acres
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Gloucestershire / South Gloucestershire
Bristol Memorial Woodlands, Earthcott Green, Bristol
Tel : 01454 414999
http://www.memorialwoodlands.com
Size : 25 acres
Hampshire
Breach Farm Woodland Burial Ground, St Mary Bourne
Tel : 01264 738278
info [at] breach-farm [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.breach-farm.co.uk
Size : 1 acre
Comment : set in 10 acre nature reserve
South Downs Natural Burial Site, East Meon
Tel : 01730 823005
http://www.fareham.gov.uk/council/departments/leisure/parks/sdbs.asp
Size : 1 acre
Comment : set in 55 acres of mature woodland
Isle of Wight
Springwood Woodland Burials, Isle of Wight
Tel : 01983 868688
enquiries [at] woodlandburials [dot] com
http://www.woodlandburials.com
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Somerset
Priory Woodland Burial Ground, Old Cleeve
Tel : 01984 631098
Size : 2 acres
Surrey
Shamley Green Woodland Burial, Guildford
Tel : 01255 503456
gburials [at] talk21 [dot] com
http://www.greenburials.co.uk
Wiltshire
Michael’s Wood, Cholderton Estate, Salisbury
Tel : 01980 629203
rest [at] michaelswood [dot] co [dot] uk
http://www.sustainable-cholderton.co.uk/woodland_burials/index.html
Opened : 2003
