What to expect when attending a final farewell

If you have not attended a farewell at Clandon Wood or a natural burial you may be wondering if and how it might be different from a funeral in an ordinary cemetery.

The answer depends on the choices the bereaved family make as to the style and format of the farewell; the choice is theirs to be as religious, spiritual or secular and as traditional or individual as they wish.  Clandon Wood is open to all whatever faith, belief or thinking.

Services and commemorations can be led by members of the family or by friends, clergy, religious representatives, humanist or secular celebrants. The farewell can take any style perhaps involving a band, a choir, a violinist in the meadow or a straight to plot committal.

Our contemporary glass pavilion is where services, commemorations and catered wakes and gatherings are held. Whatever style of farewell is chosen we allow a minimum of one and a half hours for every burial, ash interment or service to ensure no one ever feels hurried.

On arrival at Clandon Wood you will not see any vertical headstones and you probably would not know you are in a cemetery. That is because as well as being a burial ground Clandon Wood is a nature reserve with thirty-one acres of wildflower traditional meadowland, lakes, wetland, young woodland and an abundance of fauna.

Core to the thinking behind Clandon Wood is the creation of a place of natural beauty and openness where those left behind will want to come and spend time to reflect and remember for generations to come.

From a service in the pavilion or on arrival from elsewhere for a burial the coffin is typically taken to the grave in a gentle procession from the pavilion using our horse and hay cart or our hand cart. The coffin will be placed over the grave resting on timbers and lowered into the grave at the moment of committal. Once last respects have been paid our staff will fill the grave and lay any flowers on the top.

Our bespoke electronic and paper based plot marking and recording systems ensure graves can be accurately located.

Our on-site team will always make you feel very welcome and will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and help in any way possible.

There is on-site parking for up to 100 cars to allow for all sizes of service and our facilities have comfortable WCs, full disabled access and a baby-changing unit. There is a covered motorised buggy available to transport guests who are less mobile and should it decide to rain we can provide umbrellas.

For the differences between a natural burial and a burial at an ordinary cemetery click here.