Time to plot a burial spot

There are far more options to consider than being buried in the local cemetery, including woodlands and our own gardens.

As funeral costs rise and people encounter a shortage of burial plots, most now opt for cremation when they die.

The main advantages of cremation are that it is generally less expensive, the service options are flexible and you can choose where and when to scatter the ashes,

Muslims, Orthodox Jews, and the Greek Orthodox church frown upon cremation, but it is accepted by all other Christian religions, as well as the Sikh, Hindu and Buddhist religions.

South Oxfordshire Memorial Park and Cremotorium was opened this January, joining Oxfordshire's two existing crematoriums, in Oxford and in Banbury.

For families who prefer a traditional burial, there are still plots available in Oxfordshire and increasing numbers are opting for natural and woodland burials, where no visible memorial is left.

Some council cemeteries are now offering woodland burial sites at scenic spots and nature reserves.

For a list of natural burial grounds, visit www.naturaldeath.org.uk

You can be buried on private land, including your own garden, providing there is nothing in the deeds restricting the use of the property.

You will also need to consult the local district and environmental health department.

Oxford City Council is responsible for four cemeteries: at Botley, Headington, Rose Hill and Wolvercote. Plots at those placed are usually reserved through your chosen funeral director.

In addition to traditional burials, all except Rose Hill also offer a woodland burial service where a tree or shrub is planted on the grave, along with woodland flowers.

A small grave marker can be placed at the base of the tree, but no headstone or artificial memorials are permitted.

Traditional, woodland and meadow burials can be held at Windrush Cemetery, which is maintained by Witney Town Council.

The cemetery, on Oxford Hill, overlooks the town and surrounding countryside and also has an area for cremation memorials.

Didcot Cemetery still has burial plots and their cost is double for non-residents of the town. For details, visit www.didcot.gov.uk or call 01235 812637.

South Oxfordshire District Council (www.southoxon.gov.uk) has cemeteries in Castle Street, Wallingford and Coopers Pightie, Kidmore End.

For Banbury residents, Hardwick Hill Cemetery is a modern, six-acre open-plan site with a cremated remains and Muslim burial areas.

Graves can be bought in advance from Banbury Town Council. For details, call 01295 250340.

Resting in peace

Statistics show that about 70 per cent of Britons now choose to end their days on Earth with a cremation, rather than burial, and Oxfordshire now has three places from which to choose.

Banbury Crematorium, Hardwick Hill, Southam Road, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 1ST
Tel: 01295 226500
www.thelondoncremation.co.uk

The chapel at Banbury Crematorium, which opened in 1999, has a capacity for 100 mourners and is designed to make the most of the rural views. There are various options for creating a lasting memorial in the landscaped gardens. Remains can be scattered or interred at the foot of a tree or shrub. Another option is a stone boulder, which can be inscribed by a craftsman and has space for two sets of remains. Benches are available for dedication in the gardens.

Oxford Crematorium, Bayswater Road, Headington, Oxford
Tel: 01865 351010
www.dignityfunerals.co.uk

Set in 22-acres of tranquil, well-kept grounds, Oxford Crematorium has been open since 1939. It has two chapels, for large or small funerals, and you can have a religious or non-religious service. The service is usuall 45 minutes long. The gardens offer a wide variety of memorials to suit your taste and budget, including roses, individually-designed garden plots and wall tablets. You can also buy niches in a mausoleum. The gardens are available to visit 365 days a year, during the daily opening times.

South Oxfordshire Memorial Park and Cremotorium, Garford, Abingdon
Tel: 01235 250013
www.southoxfordmemorial.co.uk

This newly-opened facility, on the A338 between East Hanney and Frilford, offers traditional burial, natural burial and cremation services. Its chapel has peaceful, rural views and can seat 100 mourners. At least one hour is allowed for each service and families are given a choice of live organ music or recorded music. Photographs and pre-recorded eulogies can be loaded on to plasma screens and there is web streaming from the chapel for those who cannot make it to the service in person.

Naturally new

For families looking for a peaceful and picturesque area to bury their loved one, Westmill Woodland on the Wiltshire-Oxfordshire border is ideal.

The burial ground covers three acres and looks up to the Downs and Uffington White Horse. It is part of an organic mixed farm and will become a piece of English woodland. It is a not-for-profit business.

Liz Rothschild, who runs the burial ground with partner Adam Twine, said "It is a natural landscape. With a woodland burial there's more flexibility about the type of funeral you can have and what is right for families. We encourage families to get involved as much a possible."

The woodland offers people of all faiths or none the opportunity to be buried amid nature. While other woodland burial grounds offer more formal parkland sites, Westmill is on the wilder side.

There are a lot of willows planted on site form a previous biomass project which will gradually give way to mixed native woodland.

Liz and Adam also host an annual tree planting event, to which everyone connected to the burial ground is invited.

"You see the pleasure that families get from planting trees in the grounds and coming back two years later to see how they've grown."

"Children love coming here and a lot of grandparents enjoy the idea of their grandchildren coming here, " Liz added.

"There's a combination of reasons why people choose us. We attract people who are not connected to religion but who want that sense of being nurtured by the natural world. Some really like the idea of connecting with the natural cycle of seasons."

The burial ground is relatively new, first opening in 2011, and has 800 plots in total.

"We are gradually getting going and we like to think we offer something different. We try to support people that haven't got a lot of money to do the best they can. The woodland burial is very much an affordable option."

"One of the big costs is a coffin, but we've had people buried wrapped in a blanket."

"And despite the image people have of them, cardboard coffins are actually lovely and family can put messages on them."

Burials are less than £1,000. Check the website for details at www.woodlandburialwestmill.co.uk or call 01397 240508.

Set in stone

Love ones are now able to honour those who have died at a new burial site.

The long barrow, built by Tim Daw in All Cannings, was officially opened in September 2014. Work started in January 2014 to create a modern long barrow that will store cremated human remains.

The feature is on a field at Mr Daw's farm at Cannings Cross in All Cannings and took around eight months to build, with delays due to bad weather last year.

The opening was the final stage in the process after the project won planning permissions in November 2013. Mr Daw said: "To see it finished after all the hard work, it turned out far better than expected."

The burial tomb consists of a hollow mound, with stone chambers inside, each containing niches in which urns containing ashes will be kept.

A total of 240 have been reserved already out of around 300 available.

It has been postitioned to allow the midwinter sunrise to shine directly down the length of the tomb and, although modern in design, it was inspired by the likes of West Kenet long barrow, near Avebury, a few miles away.

Mr Daw, who is a steward at Stonehenge, believes the scheme is unique and said it is an ideal opportunity for people who want to put urns of ashes of loved ones in non-religious places.

He said: "I'm amazed at the response from people. It is a different way to remember someone, and the site is modern and ancient at the same time."

For more information about the long barrow, go to www.thelongbarrow.com