Burying ashes is something that many families choose to do. Some people may prefer to hold a quiet cremation funeral when someone dies, and for the committal of their ashes to be a part of a larger memorial service led by a religious minister or civil celebrant at a later date.

You can choose a burial plot for someone’s cremated remains at the time of their funeral or take time after their cremation to decide where and when you would like this to happen. Unlike a traditional burial, there is no time limit for when you may choose to bury someone’s ashes.

Where can I bury cremated ashes?

The most usual places for the burial of ashes are in small plots in cemeteries, crematoria gardens of remembrance, woodland burial grounds and in parish churchyards.

Ashes can be buried directly in the ground or interred in a casket in a burial plot. You can buy double caskets to hold two people’s ashes. Ashes can also be placed inside someone’s coffin, before a traditional burial. When you buy a grave for ashes, you are will be purchasing an “exclusive right of burial” in that plot for a fixed number of years.

How do you bury ashes in a cemetery?

We can discuss the burial of ashes in a cemetery at the time of arranging a funeral or you may make your own enquiries directly with a cemetery in advance or at a later date.

Crematoria have dedicated areas for the burial of ashes, in their gardens of remembrance. These include graves in lawned areas, which can be marked with memorial masonry and more informal garden areas.

Can you bury ashes in a churchyard?

Parish communities more often have space for burying ashes in the churchyard than they do for traditional burials.

Hillier Funeral Service can discuss options and locations with you to find the right resting place for your loved one.

How much does it cost to bury ashes?

The cost of an ashes plot can vary according to the location of the cemetery and grave.

It may cost more if you are not a local resident or member of the local parish, or you wish to buried in a specific location within the cemetery or churchyard.

Family plots and larger grave sites will be more expensive.

The total cost of buying a grave (or more accurately, the purchase of the exclusive burial rights for a plot), includes an additional fee for the internment of the ashes in the grave, paying for the right to mark the grave with a stone, and the cost of any masonry or living marker.

If you are burying ashes in an existing grave, you will need to pay a fee for opening the grave and their interment.

Can you bury ashes in an existing grave?

You may choose to bury ashes in an existing grave site, provided you are the owner of the grave or next of kin with a claim over the exclusive burial rights.