Horniman Museum & Gardens · Forest HillGardens & nature
The Conservatory
A magnificent Victorian glasshouse, full of natural light and surrounded by the Horniman Gardens.
Seating: Up to 120 seated, plus standing spaceSE23 3PQ
A guide to
Alternative Funeral Venues in London
A funeral doesn't have to take place in a crematorium chapel. From Victorian glasshouses to riverside rooms and historic theatres, London offers remarkable places to say goodbye.
There is more than one way to say goodbye
The setting can change the whole feeling of a funeral. A beautiful building, a garden, somewhere with a view, or a place that meant something to the person who has died can make a ceremony feel more personal.
A funeral ceremony can be followed by cremation at a crematorium, or burial at a cemetery or natural burial ground. At some of the woodland venues, burial can take place within the grounds themselves.
After the service, burial or cremation takes place at a separate location, either later that day or on another day. The committal can be attended or unattended.
Interested in holding a funeral somewhere different? We can talk through the possibilities and help you work out what might be right.
Talk to us about alternative venuesExplore the places
Find a funeral venue near you
Search by neighbourhood, postcode or venue name, or narrow the directory by area, setting and seating capacity. Save the places you like to compare them in a shortlist.
Showing 24 venues. Guest capacities are indicative; confirm the exact setup with each venue.
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Venues near you
Approximate straight-line distances, not driving times.
01 / Browse by area
10 venuesSouth & South East London and Kent
Forest Hill, Dulwich, Herne Hill, Peckham, Bromley and Chislehurst
Horniman Museum & Gardens · Forest HillContemporary
The Pavilion
A contemporary, light-filled space opening onto a private terrace with far-reaching views of London.
Seating: 60 seatedSE23 3PQ
Dulwich Picture Gallery · DulwichHistoric & characterful
The Soane Gallery
An extraordinary sequence of historic galleries with richly coloured walls and works of art.
Seating: Up to 200 seated, depending on layoutSE21 7AD
Brockwell Park · Herne HillGardens & nature
Brockwell Hall
A restored Georgian mansion and courtyard, surrounded by the trees and open spaces of Brockwell Park.
Seating: Up to 200 seatedSE24 9BJ
PeckhamHistoric & characterful
Asylum Chapel
An atmospheric, candlelit chapel with weathered walls, stained glass and an unforgettable sense of place.
Seating: Up to 120 seatedSE15 2SQ
BromleyHistoric & characterful
Bromley Old Town Hall
Restored civic architecture with elegant interiors that can provide a distinctive ceremonial setting.
Seating: 70 seatedBR1 3FE
BlackheathHistoric & characterful
Blackheath Halls
A handsome Victorian concert hall with a choice of grand and more intimate spaces.
Seating: Hearn Room: 160; Great Hall: up to 500SE3 9RQ
West Norwood CemeteryHistoric & characterful
St Stephen’s Chapel
A beautifully restored Greek Revival chapel in the historic Hellenic Enclosure.
Seating: Up to 75SE27 9JU
Chislehurst · KentGardens & nature
GreenAcres Kemnal Park
An expansive memorial park among woodland and meadows, with a contemporary setting for a funeral ceremony.
Seating: Up to 180 seatedBR7 6RR
Shirley · CroydonGardens & nature
Oaks Farm
An intimate country-house setting among gardens, tucked into the green hills beyond Croydon.
Seating: Up to 100 seated for a ceremonyCR0 5HP
02 / Browse by area
03 venuesCentral London
Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury and the riverside
FitzroviaHistoric & characterful
Fitzrovia Chapel
An intimate, jewel-like chapel with a luminous gold mosaic interior in central London.
Seating: 78 seatedW1T 3BF
Euston · BloomsburyContemporary
The Place
A contemporary theatre for a ceremony centred on performance, sound and storytelling.
Seating: Up to 288 seatedWC1H 9PY
Victoria Embankment · ThamesContemporary
Woods Quay
A striking riverside venue beneath Waterloo Bridge, looking out across the Thames.
Seating: Cormorant Deck: up to 108 theatre-styleWC2N 6AY
03 / Browse by area
04 venuesEast & North East London / Essex
Hackney, Stoke Newington and Epping
Clapton · HackneyHistoric & characterful
Round Chapel
A dramatic circular Victorian chapel with a gallery and a rich music heritage.
Seating: 250 downstairs; up to 750 including galleryE5 0NP
Stoke NewingtonGardens & nature
Abney Park Chapel
A restored Gothic chapel in the woodland landscape of one of London’s Magnificent Seven cemeteries.
Seating: Up to 70 seatedN16 0LH
Springfield Park · HackneyContemporary
The Glasshouse
A striking modern events space with timber, glass and views towards the park.
Seating: Around 150 seatedE5 9EF
North Weald · EssexGardens & nature
GreenAcres Epping Park
A peaceful woodland memorial park with natural surroundings for a personal funeral ceremony.
Seating: Around 100 seatedCM16 6AD
04 / Browse by area
03 venuesNorth London
Islington, Highgate and Hampstead
IslingtonContemporary
Unity Hall
A flexible, unfussy community hall for a more personal, self-directed farewell.
Seating: Up to 100; confirm seated layoutN1 2TZ
Waterlow Park · HighgateGardens & nature
Lauderdale House
An elegant Tudor house above Waterlow Park, with gardens and sweeping views over London.
Seating: Long Gallery: up to 120; Lower Gallery: 100N6 5HG
HampsteadHistoric & characterful
Burgh House
A welcoming early-Georgian house on a quiet Hampstead square, full of character and warmth.
Seating: Music Room: up to 70 seatedNW3 1LT
05 / Browse by area
04 venuesWest & South West London / Chilterns
Richmond, Hammersmith, West Brompton and Beaconsfield
Richmond ParkGardens & nature
Pembroke Lodge
A Georgian mansion set high in Richmond Park, with a terrace and wide views across the Thames Valley.
Seating: Belvedere: up to 140; confirm layoutTW10 5HX
HammersmithContemporary
Linden House
A relaxed riverside house with light-filled rooms and a lovely sense of privacy.
Seating: Ballroom: up to 65 theatre-styleW6 9TA
Jordans · BeaconsfieldGardens & nature
GreenAcres Chiltern Park
A serene woodland and meadowland park, with a bright ceremonial space surrounded by nature.
Seating: Woodland Hall: up to 130 seatedHP9 2XB
West BromptonHistoric & characterful
The Chapel at Brompton Cemetery
A graceful domed chapel approached through one of London’s great Victorian garden cemeteries.
Seating: Around 100 seatedSW10 9UG
A different setting, with the same care and attention
01 / Choose the setting
Start with somewhere that feels right. Every venue listed here can welcome a coffin. We'll help you consider the space, seating, accessibility, music and what will work for the ceremony.
02 / Have the ceremony
Gather for the farewell at your chosen venue. There can be readings, music, rituals and stories, shaped around the person who has died rather than a fixed crematorium chapel format.
03 / Cremation or burial
After the ceremony, cremation takes place at a crematorium or burial takes place at a cemetery or natural burial ground. GreenAcres parks can also offer burial within their grounds.
Something even more personal
What about your own garden?
For some people, home is the most meaningful place of all. A private garden or another personally significant setting may be possible for a funeral ceremony, followed by burial or cremation at a separate location, either that day or on another day.
We can explore what is practical, including access, suitable space, permissions and the arrangements for the coffin.
Talk to us about your ideas →Questions about alternative funeral venues
Can the coffin be present at these venues?
Yes. Every venue in this directory has been chosen because it can accommodate a funeral ceremony with the coffin present. Practical arrangements and facilities vary by venue.
What happens after a funeral at an alternative venue?
The coffin is taken for cremation, or burial takes place at a cemetery or natural burial ground. At the GreenAcres parks, GreenAcres arranges the coffin’s transfer to a crematorium after the service if cremation has been chosen.
Do you organise the wake or reception?
No. Poetic Endings arranges the funeral ceremony and coordinates the related arrangements. Any wake or reception is organised separately by the venue or the people arranging it.
Can we include music and personal tributes?
Yes. These venues offer the freedom to create a personal ceremony. Music, readings and other elements are planned around the venue’s facilities and arrangements.
Are venue capacities and facilities guaranteed?
Published capacities depend on room layout and event type, and venue policies can change. We will confirm the arrangements needed for the funeral before they are finalised.
Here to help
Have somewhere in mind?
We can help arrange a funeral in one of these remarkable places and coordinate the arrangements for burial or cremation. We work across London and beyond.