Frequently Asked Questions
WHO RUNS THE SITE?
The site is administered on a voluntary basis by The Butler Memorial Trust, a registered charity set up by Barbara Butler in memory of her parents in 1999 to provide and administer sites for ‘green’ burial.
CAN I CHOOSE A PLOT?
No, for reasons concerning the management of the site plots are allocated in sequence by the trust.
DO I HAVE TO HAVE AN UNDERTAKER?
It is not essential to have an undertaker, but you may find it easier. You can, if you wish, arrange the burial yourself, but as a Trust we do not provide anything other than the burial plot, although we can also arrange gravedigging.
CAN I HAVE A NON-RELIGIOUS BURIAL?
You may have burial of any format you wish. You may use any officiant, or you may just choose to have readings or remembrances by family members.
CAN WE HAVE MUSIC?
You may certainly sing, but there is no facility for playing music as you are outdoors. Some people have used battery operated CD or cassette players with some limited success, and others have brought an acoustic instrument such as a guitar or flute. We would need to be consulted if you plan any more elaborate musical items.
WHAT DO WE DO IF IT RAINS?
There are no facilities for sheltering on the site. You might like to consider hiring a suitable hall nearby where you could adjourn in inclement conditions.
WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR?
This is a "green" burial site, and there are no concrete paths or nearby car park. You should therefore wear footwear and clothing appropriate to the countryside. The path to the burial ground can be muddy in wet conditions, and the grass in the field can also be slippery.
CAN DISABLED PEOPLE GET ACCESS?
When dry the burial ground may be accessible even (with effort) to those in a wheelchair. In wet conditions, however, it is likely to be inaccessible to wheelchairs or to those with limited mobility. We always advise that you check this out first.
HOW CLOSE CAN CARS PARK?
We do not allow motorised vehicles onto the burial ground or adjoining field. You should park in the lane outside (no more than six vehicles, please).
WHAT IF WE NEED TO USE MORE THAN 6 VEHICLES?
Then you will need to make arrangements to ferry people to and from a suitable point, such as a local car park. You might like to consider using a taxi service or minibus to make this easier. We cannot allow more than six vehicles because of our operating licence.
HOW DO WE GET A COFFIN TO THE BURIAL GROUND?
We can provide a bier which can be used to take the coffin to the burial ground. We find that often family members like to be involved in pushing this.
CAN WE BOOK PLOTS IN ADVANCE?
No, we cannot offer this for legal reasons. We recommend that you make your wishes known to your next of kin including supplying a copy of our contact details. You can also include this in your will.
CAN WE INTER ASHES ON YOUR SITE?
Yes, we can accept ashes for scattering or burial.
CAN WE BURY OUR PET ON YOUR SITE?
No, we are not able to accept animals for burial.
CAN WE BURY STILLBORN INFANTS?
Yes, we accept the burial of infants.
WHAT DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED?
We must have official authority for the burial to take place. This is usually a green form which is issued when the death is registered.
Above Entrance to site | Below View from Burial Field
CAN WE PREPAY TOWARDS THE BURIAL?
We cannot accept payments in advance as we cannot sell plots in advance (see above), but there are a number of funeral plans available commercially.
CAN I PAY FOR A BURIAL USING A CREDIT CARD OR IN EASY INSTALMENTS?
We are unable to offer these facilities, because we are not a commercial operation. If you are using the services of an undertaker they may be able to accept credit card payments and would pay us in turn. We must have the entire sum paid before a burial can take place.
CAN I MAKE A DONATION TO YOU?
We welcome donations towards the upkeep and management of the site. We are a non profit making charity, none of our trustees benefit financially from the charity, and we do not employ any staff.
CAN I GIVE SOMETHING SPECIFIC IN MEMORY OF A LOVED ONE?
We prefer gifts to be general so that everyone benefits equally. For example we are currently working on planting an avenue of trees that will provide a pleasant sheltered walk for our visitors. It may be possible for individuals to make a contribution towards a specific part of the overall plan if this is appropriate at the time. Contact the Trust directly to discuss this.
CAN I PLANT A TREE?
See above
CAN I PLACE A MEMORIAL PLAQUE?
Donations can be made as a memorial and a brass plaque bearing the name of the deceased (who need not buried at the site) can be placed at the site by the trust.
WHERE DO I FIND AN UNDERTAKER? CAN YOU RECOMMEND ONE?
The Charity Commission tells us that we are not allowed to make recommendations. You should enquire for an undertaker that will handle “green” burials.
CAN YOU TELL US WHERE TO BUY SUITABLE COFFINS?
Once again, we are forbidden to make recommendations. You can find much more information with a Google search for green burials or natural death.
ARE SOME TYPES OF COFFIN FORBIDDEN?
Yes. We cannot accept materials that are not quickly bio-degradable eg softwood, cardboard or wicker are acceptable but hardwood is not. No metal or manmade material is allowed.
CAN WE PUT UP A HEADSTONE?
We do not accept headstones or similar memorial masonry. We welcome small plaques of NATURAL materials and further guidance is given in our information booklet/application form.
CAN WE PUT FLOWERS ON THE GRAVE?
We welcome small native wild flowers which can be planted on the grave. Although we do not forbid cut flowers we would prefer them not to be left on the grave as they are often just left and become unsightly.
WHY HAS MY BURIAL PLOT SUNK?
This is perfectly normal and occurs as time passes, although it might appear a little alarming. We will “top up” the grave with infill during our routine site maintenance, but as we do not have site staff, it can be a week or so before it happens.
WHEN CAN I VISIT THE GRAVE?
We do not have any operational hours, so you can visit at any time between dawn and dusk