About Us
Find out more about Herongate Wood, a beautiful and tranquil woodland cemetery for people’s final resting place.
Our Journey
Herongate Wood hopes to give families a quiet place in nature to remember their loved one, whether that is during the service or when they are visiting after the service. Some people like to visit the plot and some just like to be at Herongate Wood and be able to be near them. To see the place where they rest and be surrounded by nature and fresh air.
If Herongate Wood is the place you have chosen then we are able to offer the use of our on-site hall of remembrance. We only have two services a day held at Herongate Wood, this means the services can be unhurried and personal. Services can be religious or non-religious ceremony.
The service hall can be personalized by adding flowers, pictures, and electric candles to make the space best reflect your loved one’s life. There is also the option of an outdoor service on our sun terrace or the option of a marque.
The creation of Herongate Wood.
Our founders Ray Ward and his daughter Jackie Sawtell wanted to have their lasting memory be that we had saved a space in Essex for nature to flourish. Herongate Wood started as 25 acres of meadow. Ray and Tony spent the first few years of starting Herongate Wood planting hundreds of hedging plants and native trees.
We wanted these woods and meadows to provide a green refuge for birds, animals, and wildflowers to flourish. Young trees are being planted across the area used for burials, extending the wood. They will be places of life, filled with colour and nature.
The main avenue evolution, little tree whips are now full established trees. In just 20 years.
An excerpt from our tree management blog:
‘’We love our Trees at Herongate Wood!
Our Grounds Team have planted over 3000 trees since we opened in 2003.
We now plant between 50 to 60 trees a year on grave plots, and to serve as memorial trees.’’
The Future
At Herongate Wood we are constantly looking to the future. We have planned ahead to make sure that Herongate Wood can be preserved as a woodland and upkept for the generations that come after us.
When we started having burials at Herongate Wood we set aside a small portion of each burial cost to go in a fund. This money is to be used to look after the needs of Herongate wood and its families.
Pre booking
You can take the opportunity to plan ahead for yourself and your family by pre-booking plots either as a single, double or groups. With interest-free options and no maintenance, lease or out of area surcharge fees, families can truly remove the burden of future increasing costs. Click here for more information on prices.
Memorials
In addition to burials and cremation services we can also help provide guidance in creating a personal memorial on a bench, memorial wall or tree.
Some Reasons why we went 'Green'
We, at Herongate Wood, joined the natural or ‘green’ burial movement because we wished to preserve some of the existing countryside for future generations. We have a serious concern that, piece by piece, the countryside will be developed so that in only 30/40 years there will be no green spaces left in the South-East of England.
The term ‘green burial’ means an eco-friendly burial in a wood or meadow so as to create and protect wildlife habitat. Where families prefer cremation, rather than burial, we can arrange for an unhurried service to be held in our Hall of Remembrance at Herongate Wood, followed by cremation at a local crematorium. The ashes can then be buried at Herongate Wood, in a separate ceremony, a short time later.
Around you and those you love, a beautiful landscape will be created and preserved forever. We plan that no grave will ever be re-used or disturbed so that those who lie here will ‘Rest in Peace’ in the truest sense of the words.
Outside Regulatory Bodies
