Families that choose this kind of grave for their loved one find it soothing to be somewhere natural. It helps them to understand that their loss is a natural part of life and the planet’s life cycle.
Natural Endings has detailed knowledge of the woodland burial sites available for use in the North West, and will be happy to advise you regarding the benefits of each.
There are quite a few different options, each with a different character. We are regularly consulted for advice by new sites that are opening. All of the pictures shown are of natural burial sites that we use.
Some of these woodland cemeteries are a piece of land that will mature into a piece of woodland in the future. Others are already set in amongst mature trees and are especially landscaped for their particular use.
Alternatively we can arrange a green funeral burial on your own land.
Graves aren’t marked with vertical marble headstones as they are in traditional cemeteries. Graves are either left unmarked (though logged on plans) or they have a small wooden marker or a horizontal flat engraved natural stone marker.
One of the advantages of these kind of graves is that they don’t have to be maintained in the way that old style graves do.
Many woodland and natural burial grounds discourage items being left on graves, and want only native trees and plants to be planted.
Most can’t allow a tree on each grave, as not all the trees would survive in close proximity to each other. The cemeteries that don’t allow a tree on the actual grave will have other areas where trees and shrubs can be dedicated to a loved one.
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Many of these natural/woodland burial grounds require that an eco-coffin be used. An eco-coffin is biodegradable and has no metal parts or plastic that can’t break down.
Examples are coffins made from cardboard, willow, bamboo, wool, seagrass, pandanus and jute. Some also accept lambswool shrouds.
For a more traditional aesthetic we have wooden coffins from sustainable wood sources.
It would also be considered more eco-friendly if the person hasn’t been embalmed, though embalmed bodies will be accepted into these natural burial grounds.
View all eco-coffin ranges suitable for woodland burial
Our locationsAdlington Memorial Park, Adlington
Brocklands Woodland Burial, Settle
Friends of Nature Burial Ground, near Knutsford
Greenacres Woodland Burial Ground, St. Helen’s
Woodland area within Highfield Cemetery, Stockport
Luddenden Cemetery, Luddenden
Rose Hill Burial Ground, Huddersfield
Swanlow Park Cemetery, Winsford
Tarn Moor Memorial Woodland, Skipton
The Meadow within Southern Cemetery, Chorlton, Manchester
The Woodland Cemetery, Worsley
The Woodlands within Blackley Cemetery, Blackley, Manchester
The Woodland area within Thornton Cemetery, Bradford
West Pennine Remembrance Park, Entwistle
Please note that some of these are not woodland or natural burial grounds, but are in a peaceful or wooded environment. We have included these as for some it will be the closest one to where they live.
If you have had a bereavement and would like to talk to someone about funeral arrangements,
please call our 24 hour numbers –
0161 969 6690 – for South Manchester and Cheshire
01706 941757 – for Todmorden, Calderdale and South Lancashire
We are happy to discuss your requirements and provide you with a no-commitment estimate of costs.
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