Regulations Governing our Natural Burial Site (Issued January 2022)
Adam & Greenwood Funeral Home LLP is the the company performing the actual burials and which will undertake all the care and maintenance of the burial site until the land available for burials has reached its capacity.
‘HGW’ means ‘Herongate Wood’, the company performing the actual burials, which will undertake all care and maintenance of the burial site until it reaches capacity.
‘WWT’ means ‘The Woodland & Wildlife Trust Company Limited’, which is the company established to undertake the long term care and maintenance of the burial land once it has reached capacity. It is intended to pass the freehold of the burial site from HGW to WWT. A payment will be made from HGW to WWT in respect of every burial so as to provide funding for the long term care of the land.
This is a woodland site and HGW and its staff can accept no responsibility for the safety of visitors. Be especially aware of ‘trip’ hazards. We welcome children to this beautiful place but would remind responsible adults to keep them under close supervision, especially near the large natural pond. Dogs are also welcome but they must always be kept on a short lead and any fouling removed off-site, please.
Following a funeral or service at HGW we try to allow floral tributes, wreaths and other items to remain for as long as possible but please be aware this is normally around 3 to 7 days.
Important Note: In order to allow HGW to develop as natural woodland, only grave plaques, laid flat on graves and supplied by HGW, plus ONE plastic vase for fresh flowers, may be placed on graves. Floral tributes, wreaths and all other items placed on or near graves (except flowers & tributes placed following a funeral, see above) will be removed regularly by staff. Under Health & Safety regulations, stones, shells, pottery & glass will be removed immediately without notice. The same will apply to items we feel are inappropriate in keeping with the cemetery grounds. Balloons can cause damage to both trees & wildlife & are therefore not permitted. Unfortunately all removed items will be disposed of. We can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage suffered to items that are left at the cemetery. Please note: we do not routinely remove the fresh cut flowers placed in the holders or laid directly on the graves ~ please dispose of all flower wrappings and other rubbish at home.
No exhumation of persons or ashes will be permitted, except by Court Order.
Please ensure that all coffins and containers for ashes are of bio-degradable materials. We prefer not to accept bodies for burial that have been embalmed, except in exceptional circumstances and by prior arrangement.
We advise that rings, jewellery and other valuable items or irreplaceable mementoes should be removed and retained within the family and not buried with your loved one.