When we arrange a Cremation Funeral, it is usual for us also to book the subsequent burial of ashes. We will also bury the ashes of a loved one at Herongate Wood, where another Funeral Director has arranged the cremation.
The laying to rest of the ashes of a loved one tends to be a smaller, more intimate ceremony than the Funeral Service that preceded it. The service is normally conducted at the graveside and attendance is often just close family members. If a Clergy or another Officiant is not involved in the ashes burial, our Funeral Director will arrange to say a few words of Committal; every Service is different and depends on the wishes of the family.
Where family circumstances dictate, we have arranged a private cremation (without the family being present) and followed this with a full Funeral Service with the ashes, before laying them to rest at Herongate Wood as the final part of the Service. This arrangement has been particularly useful where family members have been unable to gather at short notice for the Cremation Service, following the unexpected loss of a loved one.
We offer a single or a ‘family’ plot, which will hold up to 4 sets of ashes. The personal details and reference number of each plot, allocated for the burial of each set of ashes, is entered into our Burial Register, a copy of which is given to every family so that the grave can be easily identified in the future.
Ashes are normally laid to rest in a wooden casket. You are, however, able to select an alternative casket from those that we have on offer. If the actual ashes are not available, you may wish to use one of the caskets as a ‘Memory Box’ to contain a lock of hair, letters, photographs and similar personal items, which can be buried in an ashes plot so as to provide a focus for ‘closure’.
A personalised granite Plaque is normally prepared in advance of the date arranged for the ashes being laid to rest. The Plaque is placed flat on the grave plot as the final act of the Committal and will remain there permanently without further cost. (There is no maintenance or renewal cost for these.)
