One of the choices you will be faced
with following the death of a loved one is between burial and
cremation. If the deceased has left a will, the executor has the
right to decide (even if the will expresses a particular wish). If
there is no will, the next of kin should decide.
Information about
burial and
cremation is included on our
useful information page, along with
bereavement contacts and other advice about what to do after a
death and how to go about arranging a funeral. There is also a page
of
questions people ask about burial and cremation .
If you decide on cremation , you will be asked to specify what
is to be done with the cremated remains. This responsibility lies
with the applicant for cremation (the person who signs for the
cremation to take place). To give families plenty of time, the
crematorium will hold remains for up to three months at no charge.
If no instructions are received within three months from the date
of the cremation we will write to the applicant requesting
instructions by a given date. If no instructions are received, the
remains are then disposed of within the grounds of the crematorium
after the specified date. However, please do not feel you have to
rush into a decision. We understand that families and friends need
time to consider and, if you require longer, we are able to look
after the remains for a further period for a nominal fee.
You may wish to take the remains from the crematorium, for which
purpose a range of urns and caskets is available. Should you decide
to leave them at rest in the crematorium, they may be
Any of the above can be complemented by an
inscription in the Book of
Remembrance. Memorial garden dedications and Book of
Remembrance inscriptions can be
purchased
online.
Download the Cremation Memorials brochure PDF
here (389kb)
Burial
As with cremation, anyone may be
buried at the City of London, regardless of their faith or the
area they lived in. Religious groups are not segregated,
although some areas of the ground are consecrated and others
are not. Our staff are here to help you, so please do not
hesitate to ask if we can be of any assistance. The City of
London Cemetery provides a wide choice of graves, and we
suggest that you visit us to view them before making your
decision.
There are many factors to consider before choosing, including
cost. Please telephone to arrange an appointment, and a member of
staff will be able to show you any of the choices you wish to see.
A brochure entitled A choice of graves is available free
of charge upon request. Below you will find brief descriptions of
the graves available. Please note that where a number of interments
is shown, this is the usual maximum depending on the area of ground
selected, and prevailing weather conditions.
Unpurchased graves
Unpurchased or Public Graves are those where the City of London
owns the Rights of Burial and unrelated people will be buried in
the same grave. There are currently three types of these:
Public lawn - Used for up to six unrelated
people. Once the grave is full, the City of London will erect a
memorial dedicated to those within. The memorial will give the
name, age and date of death.
Public classic lawn - This is for a maximum of
two unrelated burials. Once the grave is full, the City of London
will provide a granite memorial plaque dedicated to those
within.
Public woodland - Situated in a natural wooded
area where no memorials are permitted. Up to three unrelated
interments may take place in a single grave.
Purchased graves
Purchased or private graves are those where the Rights of Burial
are owned by an individual or small number of people (usually close
relatives of the deceased). A lease is available for a fixed period
of time during which the owner may decide who may be buried in that
grave. If the lease expires, the Rights of Burial revert to the
City of London.
When an owner dies, they automatically have the right to be
interred in their own grave, and to have an inscription on an
existing memorial (as long as this work is carried out on site). If
the owner dies and subsequent burials are to take place, a new
memorial is to be erected or an existing memorial needs to be
removed for the inscription, the ownership must be transferred
beforehand. Please note that change of ownership does not
automatically pass to the next of kin or executor .
When taking ownership it is important to provide all names in
full, including middle names where applicable. Difficulties may
arise later, for example, if an owner completes a permit for
monumental work and the details provided do not match those in our
Private Grave Register.
Before puchasing a grave it is important that you fully
understand our rules and regulations. Memorial specifications vary
according to the type of grave, and some styles have more
restrictions than others.
Private lawn - To accommodate two interments.
The maximum coffin/casket size is 7' x 2'6". The grave is turfed
with a garden space of 2'6" x 2' at its head, where small flowers
may be planted. Large memorials with kerbs are not permitted. The
headstone must be 3' high above ground, 2' wide and between 3" and
6" thick. It must be made of solid stone and fitted by means of a
'joggle' which is cemented into the base that we provide. A
free-standing vase plate may be placed directly in front of the
headstone, but no other adornments are permitted.
Private large lawn - To accommodate two
interments. This is similar in concept to the standard lawn, but
suitable for much larger coffins or caskets. There is a wider
choice of memorials permitted, with the maximum dimensions being 4'
high, 3' wide and 1' thick.
Private classic lawn - To accommodate two
interments. The maximum coffin/casket size is 7' x 2'6". A housing
unit is supplied unto which a granite memorial plaque may be
placed.
Private
woodland - To accommodate two interments within a natural
wooded area.
No memorials of any kind are permitted.
Private willow - To accommodate three
interments. This chamber is constructed of concrete. After each
burial, soil is placed on top of the coffin and the surface
finished with chippings. Memorials must be to strict
specifications.
Private traditional, non-constructed - To
accommodate five interments. A concrete landing is placed directly
on the ground and a substantial memorial (maximum 5' high) can be
erected on top of the landing.
Private traditional, part-constructed - To
accommodate five interments. Before a concrete landing is
installed, a concrete sleeve and two courses of brickwork are laid
to provide a solid foundation. This removes the possibility of
subsidence later on. A substantial memorial can be erected on top
of the landing.
Private vault, fully constructed - To
accommodate four burials. The grave is fully lined with reinforced
concrete, with two courses of brickwork on top to support the
landing. A substantial memorial can be erected.
Catacomb - Individual loculi or cells
accommodate one interment each. The coffin or casket must be zinc
or lead lined, and hermetically sealed. Please note that these
requirements do add to the overall cost. As soon as the interment
takes place, a temporary wooden tablet will be used to seal the
cell. Within one month of interment, the owner is responsible for
replacing this wooden tablet with a permanent stone one. (As with
all monumental work, a memorial permit must be completed and
approved before the stone is fixed).
Optional grave care scheme
The City of London operates an optional grave care scheme at the
City of London Cemetery whereby graves can be planted and tended,
ie either planted with spring and summer flowers or cleaned and
weeded as required.
The fees for this optional service are dependent on the type and
size of grave needing maintenance. All fees and are shown in the
relevant section below. If in doubt please
contact us for advice.
Planting with spring and summer flowers
The contract to plant flowers on a grave can be taken out by
visiting our offices, requesting an application form by telephone
or by completing the online form.
Fees to plant graves with spring and summer flowers
Lawn & Classic Lawn £79
Traditional (not exceeding 1980mm x 918mm) £120
Traditional (not exceeding 2740mm x 1220mm) £176
Traditional (not exceeding 2740mm x 1980mm) £254
To wash the memorial twice during the year and weed as
necessary
Before a contract can be set up to wash the memorial and weed
the grave, an inspection of the grave must be carried out to ensure
that it is suitable for this type of maintenance. We would not
enter into a contract to wash a memorial where it is in such a
condition that it would not benefit from being washed.
Fees to wash and weed memorial
Lawn & Classic Lawn £45
Traditional (not exceeding 1980mm x 918mm) £58
Traditional (not exceeding 2740mm x 1220mm) £77
Traditional (not exceeding 2740mm x 1980mm) £88
Please contact the administration office (see
contact page) for advice on whether this service is suitable
for your individual grave or complete the
online form.
Renewing a contract grave care scheme
A reminder notice is sent out on expiry of the contract.
Contracts can be renewed by visiting the administration office in
person, sending a cheque or postal order, or online
(renew contract).
Please remember that a permit must be completed and
accepted by the conservation team before any monumental
work can be carried out. A fee is payable for all monumental work
except cleaning or renovation (
please refer to our scale of charges).
Always give careful consideration to the method
of disposal. Our staff are available to help you make the right
choice -
click here for details of how to contact us.