Nature-rich memorial park
GreenAcres Kemnal Park
Woodland and meadow burial options within a large living memorial park, with a striking modern ceremony hall.
A20 Sidcup Bypass, Chislehurst, Kent, BR7 6RR
A guide to natural burial
Natural & Woodland Burial Grounds in and Near London
From ancient bluebell woods to wildflower meadows, discover beautiful places to return to the earth, across London and the surrounding countryside.
Another way to say goodbye
A burial that becomes part of the landscape
A natural burial might take place beneath mature trees, in a growing woodland, or in a meadow where grasses and wildflowers change with the seasons.
There is no single version of a natural funeral. Some grounds have lovely ceremony buildings; others invite a simple gathering at the graveside. Rules about coffins, memorials and planting differ from place to place.
Poetic Endings arranges natural and woodland burials across London and the surrounding counties. This directory is designed to help you explore the choices and find a setting that feels right.
Explore the possibilities
Find a natural burial ground
Search by postcode or neighbourhood to discover nearby options. You can also browse by area or choose the type of burial ground.
Found a few places you like? Add them to your shortlist to compare their settings and share your choices.
Browse 29 grounds and burial areas across six regions.
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Your Natural Burial Shortlist
Compare the places you are considering. Your selections are saved in this browser where possible.
Your nearest options
Natural burial grounds nearby
Approximate straight-line distances
01 / Explore by location
6 placesLondon
Woodland burial areas inside historic cemeteries, and nature-rich memorial parks
Woodland area within a cemetery
Brockley Cemetery woodland burial area
A small woodland burial area within Lewisham’s historic cemetery, offering a natural setting in the heart of South East London.
Brockley Grove, London, SE4 1DZ
Please confirm current plot availability with Lewisham Council.
Woodland area within a cemetery
City of London Cemetery woodland burial
Woodland graves among established trees and open grassland within this remarkable historic East London cemetery.
Aldersbrook Road, Manor Park, London, E12 5DQ
Woodland area within a cemetery
Islington & St Pancras Cemetery woodland burial
A quiet woodland area among established trees within the extensive East Finchley cemetery, allowing modest wooden memorials.
278 High Road, East Finchley, London, N2 9AG
Woodland area within a cemetery
Twickenham Cemetery natural burial area
A dedicated natural burial area encouraging native flowers and wildlife, set away from the main road.
Hospital Bridge Road, Whitton, London
Woodland area within a cemetery
West Drayton Cemetery woodland burial
A dedicated woodland burial ground tucked behind West Drayton Cemetery, offering a natural setting in West London.
Harmondsworth Road, West Drayton, London, UB7 9JJ
02 / Explore by location
3 placesKent
From ancient bluebell woods to meadows overlooking the estuary
Dedicated natural burial ground
Eden Valley Woodland Burial Ground
Burials beside ancient bluebell woodland, with meadow paths and a peaceful, informal atmosphere.
Crouch House Road, Edenbridge, Kent, TN8 5LG
Nature-rich memorial park
Bluebell Cemetery natural burial
Woodland burial among mature trees and seasonal wildflowers, with a modern chapel available for a funeral service.
Old London Road, Halstead, Kent, TN14 7AE
A photograph of this ground is being requestedSee photographs of Riverview →
Dedicated natural burial ground
Riverview Natural Burial Ground
An open hillside landscape above Lower Halstow, with long views towards the Swale estuary and changing coastal skies.
Wardwell Lane, Lower Halstow, Kent, ME9 7BP
03 / Explore by location
4 placesSurrey & Sussex
Wildflower meadows, nature reserves and developing woodland
Dedicated natural burial ground
Clandon Wood Natural Burial Ground
A nature reserve of wildflower meadows, lakes and young woodland, with a contemporary pavilion for ceremonies.
Epsom Road, West Clandon, Guildford, GU4 7FN
Woodland area within a cemetery
Gillian’s Meadow at Brookwood Cemetery
A dedicated green burial meadow within Brookwood’s historic cemetery, managed to allow a softer, more natural landscape.
Brookwood Cemetery, Woking, Surrey, GU24 0BL
Dedicated natural burial ground
Clayton Wood Natural Burial Ground
A developing native woodland below the South Downs, with an oak-framed ceremony building looking towards the hills.
Brighton Road, Clayton, Hassocks, BN6 9PD
A photograph of this ground is being requestedView Oakfield Wood information →
Dedicated natural burial ground
Oakfield Wood at Shamley Green
An intimate woodland burial ground in the Surrey Hills, suited to simple, personal ceremonies close to nature.
Guildford Road, Shamley Green, Surrey, GU5 0SQ
04 / Explore by location
4 placesEssex
Living memorial parks and dedicated burial meadows
Nature-rich memorial park
GreenAcres Epping Park
Woodland and meadow burial choices within a wooded memorial park, with an airy ceremony hall among the trees.
Kiln Road, North Weald, Epping, CM16 6AD
A photograph of this ground is being requestedSee Old Park Meadow →
Dedicated natural burial ground
Old Park Meadow Natural Burial Ground
Thirty-four acres of wildflower meadows and young woodland, carefully managed to support native wildlife.
Coppice Lane, North End, near Great Dunmow, CM6 3PL
Nature-rich memorial park
Sewardstone Park Cemetery
A landscaped burial park of meadow slopes and woodland pockets, with views towards London and the Essex countryside.
Sewardstone, Essex
Confirm the burial section and its specific environmental rules with the operator.
Dedicated natural burial ground
Oakfield Wood Wrabness
A mature natural burial woodland overlooking the Stour estuary, with native trees, open skies and birdsong.
Wheatsheaf Lane, Wrabness, Essex, CO11 2TG
05 / Explore by location
5 placesBuckinghamshire & Hertfordshire
Woodland burial, quiet glades and open countryside
Nature-rich memorial park
GreenAcres Chiltern Park
Woodland and parkland around a timber-and-glass ceremony hall, offering different natural burial settings.
Potkiln Lane, Jordans, Beaconsfield, HP9 2XB
Woodland area within a cemetery
Woodcock Hill Woodland Cemetery
A woodland section within a council cemetery, where graves are identified by small numbered markers instead of headstones.
Harefield Road, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 1PD
A photograph of this ground is being requestedView Chesham Bois burial grounds →
Woodland area within a cemetery
Chesham Bois Woodland Burial Ground
Small woodland glades and native trees adjoining Bois Wood, within a peaceful parish burial ground.
Bois Moor Road, Chesham Bois, Buckinghamshire, HP5 1SU
Existing reserved woodland plots only, according to the parish council’s published form.
Dedicated natural burial ground
Olney Green Burials
A meadow and developing woodland on the gently sloping land above Olney, with native memorial trees.
Olney, Buckinghamshire
Dedicated natural burial ground
Aylesbury Vale Natural Burial Ground
An expansive wildflower meadow framed by hedgerows, with views across the Aylesbury Vale countryside.
Stockwell Lane, Little Meadle, Aylesbury, HP17 9UG
06 / Explore by location
7 placesBerkshire, Oxfordshire & beyond
More rural choices for those happy to travel further
Dedicated natural burial ground
Acorn Ridge Natural Burial Ground
Open skies, rolling hills and wildflower meadowland above the River Enborne, with discreet ground-level markers.
Redhill, Enborne, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 0JN
Dedicated natural burial ground
Sheepdrove Natural Burial Woodland
An established native woodland on the high chalk downland of the Lambourn Downs, with far-reaching rural views.
Sheepdrove Organic Farm, Lambourn Downs, Berkshire
Currently not accepting new bookings; existing reservations are honoured.
Dedicated natural burial ground
Henley-on-Thames Natural Burial Ground
An unhurried place of meadow, glades and new native woodland at Rotherfield Greys in the Chilterns.
Greys Road, Rotherfield Greys, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 4QB
Nature-rich memorial park
GreenAcres Heatherley Park
Meadow and woodland in the Hampshire countryside, with a light-filled hall overlooking the landscape.
Grayshott Road, Headley Down, Bordon, GU35 8LA
A photograph of this ground is being requestedSee South Downs burial site →
Dedicated natural burial ground
South Downs Natural Burial Site
A secluded broadleaf and yew woodland burial ground overlooking fields in the South Downs National Park.
The Sustainability Centre, Droxford Road, East Meon, GU32 1HR
This site does not accept cremated remains.
A photograph of this ground is being requestedSee photographs of Fairspear →
Dedicated natural burial ground
Fairspear Natural Burial Ground
A small woodland and wildflower meadow on the edge of the Cotswolds, overlooking the Wychwood landscape.
Leafield, near Witney, Oxfordshire
Dedicated natural burial ground
Sun Rising Natural Burial Ground
A Warwickshire landscape of meadow paths and growing woodland, with an oak-framed building for ceremonies.
South Warwickshire
Useful things to know
Choosing a natural burial ground
Think beyond the photographs. The atmosphere matters, but so do the practical details of the burial and how the site will be cared for in years to come.
The landscape
Established woodland, young trees and open meadow each feel different. Consider the changing seasons and whether you would want to return regularly.
The ceremony
Some sites have purpose-built halls; at others, a graveside funeral may be the most natural choice. We arrange the funeral and burial itself, not the wake.
The finer details
Check permitted coffin materials, grave markers, planting, accessibility and any limitations on new plots. These vary significantly between grounds.
A note about availability
Not every site in this guide is taking new burial bookings. Sheepdrove currently has a pause on new bookings, while Chesham Bois’s published rules limit its woodland area to existing reserved plots.
Deerton Natural Burial Ground in Kent is not included among the main choices because it is sold out for new plots. It continues to serve existing reservations and burials alongside someone already there. Read about Deerton →
Natural burial questions
Is a woodland burial the same as a natural burial?
They are closely related. A natural burial focuses on a biodegradable coffin or shroud and a burial ground managed with care for the environment. Some sites are established woodland; others are wildflower meadows or newly planted landscapes.
Can I choose a burial ground outside London?
Yes. You do not have to choose the nearest site, although travel, the setting and how you will visit in future are worth considering.
Can we hold a funeral service at the burial ground?
Often, yes, either at the graveside or in a venue’s ceremony building where one is provided. Each burial ground has different arrangements, so the right setting depends on the place and the funeral you want to create.
Are headstones or memorials permitted?
It depends on the burial ground. Some allow small wooden or flat stone markers, while others keep graves unmarked or record locations using a register. Individual tree planting may also be restricted.
Does every ground accept ashes?
No. Some accept ashes for burial or scattering, while others do not. For example, the South Downs Natural Burial Site does not accept cremated remains.
Do I need a particular coffin?
Natural burial grounds generally require a fully biodegradable coffin or burial shroud and may have their own restrictions on treatments, fixtures and materials. We can explain what will work at your chosen site.
Poetic Endings
Considering a natural burial?
We can help you understand the different burial grounds and arrange a personal funeral at the place you choose, whether that's a woodland, a meadow or a cemetery's natural burial area.