Frequently asked questions

Many people have been looking for an environmental alternative to the overcrowded and polluting burial grounds and crematoria run by local authorities. That is exactly what we offer, a final resting place with scenic surroundings where you can connect to nature.

We do not bury in double depth graves for environmental reasons. However if you wish to be buried next to your loved one you can reserve an adjacent grave. The cost to reserve a plot is £850 and the difference of what the plot is worth at the time of burial along with the interment fee is payable at time of occupation.

As a truly natural burial ground we welcome biodegradable, non toxic coffins, shrouds (something made of hemp or wool) and caskets/urns for ashes. We accept: willow, wicker, wool, banana leaf and cardboard, alongside traditional solid wooden coffins (not chipboard) as long as they are made with wood taken from managed, accredited British forests. We do not permit non-degradable linings or plastic. So all handles, linings and pillows should be made from and stuffed with natural fibres. People can be buried with possessions; letters, jewellery, food and drink, horse shoes, tobacco etc but these must be made from natural materials. For shroud burials a suitable biodegradable board will be required to lower the body into the grave. A secure container may need to be provided to transport the deceased to the site.

Plots are released in phases and you can choose between a number of plots at any given time. The purchase of a burial plot is for the right of burial in the plot only and does not confer ownership of the ground or any other rights. If you purchase a plot in advance you will be given a Right of Burial Certificate. This will show the type of plot chosen. To book a plot contact site owner Jo Painter on 07891214564 or you can send a message via the 'get in touch' section on website. Please be aware that where plots are reserved alongside a loved one we may be required to hand-dig the grave if we aren't able to access grave with a digger. This will incur an additional interment fee.

We have incorporated a £20 charge into our interment fee's which will be paid into a ring-fenced fund, covering the long term management and protection of the site once all the grave spaces are sold. This maintenance fund will ensure that the site remains an accessible, safe and pleasant place to visit, long into the future. This fund will be managed by the trustees and will cover maintenance, insurance and habitat management once the site is full.

Payment can be made at time of booking. All payments must be settled in full 2 days before the date of burial or ash interment. For information on payment of pre-plots please contact Jo Painter.

We are very careful with recording graves. We use traditional mapping both on paper and digitally. People are NOT permitted to position their own grave markings, plaques or any onimental items . Bespoke wooden and natural slate memorial plaques are available and made to order through The Windmills and will be carefully positioned on the grave or within The Windmills Memorial Shelter. Wooden Plaques will naturally discolour, fade, and deteriorate over time so may require some care maintenance. The Windmills NGB reserve the rights to remove anything that has not been approved or is not in keeping with the site.

Clear paths are regularly cut though the grassland allowing access to graves by foot, wheelchairs & mobility scooters. Depending on the time of year ceremonies take place, turf may be laid to make access over the site to the grave easier.

The choice of funeral, whether it is religious, secular or humanist is up to you. It is completely your choice. The service or celebration is entirely up to the individual. People from a variety of backgrounds find that a natural burial ground can be a peaceful and healing final resting place.

The Windmills Founder and Managing Director Jo Painter is an accredited Humanist UK Funeral Celebrant. For more information on a non religious ceremony please contact Jo on 07891214564.

We do not provide a funeral director service. Most families employ a funeral director to assist them when faced with organising a funeral. Funeral directors co-ordinate the funeral and bring the deceased to the natural burial ground instead of going to a conventional cemetery or crematorium. The funeral can be as traditional or as modern as you like.

The ‘ICCM Charter for the Bereaved choosing Natural Burial – Guiding Principles’ state that immediately after the mourners have departed the graveside, the grave shall be entirely backfilled and made tidy. This work is completed on the day of the burial and coffins are not left uncovered overnight. In advance of the burial, graves are prepared at least one full day before the funeral and are covered overnight.

You can park your vehicle in our on-site car park. No vehicles, including bicycles, are allowed beyond the car park and onto the burial site. All vehicles, including contents, are left at the owner’s risk.

The Windmills NGB is a natural burial ground which supports flourishing wildflower meadows and woodland. Although the planting of native British bulbs and wildflower is permitted, graves should not be individually marked in order to create a place of natural beauty throughout the site. The planting of flowers or shrubs is discouraged as it prevents the regeneration of our natural landscape. If you do wish to plant Natural British wildflowers please ensure that the plants you purchase are WILD FLOWER bulbs and plugs and NOT garden varieties. Examples of wildflower; Foxglove, wild primrose, dog violet, sweet woodruff, wild narcissus, cowslip, ladies smick (cuckoo flower), red campion, celandine, heartsease, speedwell, stitchworts, wild garlic, wood anemone, fumatory, english bluebells, herb robert. Nature scape is an approved nursery and one we highly recommend https://www.naturescape.co.uk.

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As the graves settle a certain amount of top filling will take place, for this reason planting is not recommended until at least six months after burial. Further topping up of graves may be required over the years and the survival of any plants cannot be guaranteed. ​To enable the burial ground to evolve into natural wildflower meadow and woodland your help is critical in maintaining these guidelines. Please plant randomly avoiding the creation of gardens and the demarcation of plots. No mowing or strimming around individual graves is allowed. We welcome any and all communication before planting to clarify regulations. The Windmills NGB reserves the right to remove any plants judged not to be Native British Wildflowers.

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Cut flowers can be laid on graves at the time of the burial. Any floral tributes containing oasis and plastic trays will be removed immediately as they pose a threat to wildlife and are not in keeping with our ethos of a natural burial ground. Large arrangements can be taken back to the post-funeral gathering or donated to a local hospital; please do not leave them in the burial ground. Artificial flowers are not permitted. Equally, toys, wood or similar, photographs, candles or any sort of solar light are not permitted to stay on the natural burial site. No decorative items are to be hung from trees or tree guards and will be removed.

We have an area dedicated entirely for infants and children. The Children’s Funeral Fund is a scheme which came into effect on 23rd July 2019. The fund can help to pay for some of the costs of a funeral for a still born baby over 24 weeks gestation to a child under 18 years of age. The fund works be reimbursing burial authorities, cremation authorities and funeral directors directly so the family won’t get a bill at all. The fund will also pay up to £300 towards a coffin. The fund is available to all regardless of the families income. There is no residency or nationality requirements. Those on qualifying benefits are also eligible to apply to the Funeral Expenses Payment Scheme (FEP) by the Department of Works and Pensions for additional support. Visit https://www.gov.uk/child-funeral-costs for more information.

All our memorial trees are young and bare rooted when planted. They are pulled by the growers once they are dormant (they have gone to sleep for the winter!) so most will have very few or no leaves at this stage. This doesn’t mean the tree has completely switched off. The leaf buds start to develop for next spring’s explosion almost the moment the leaves have been shed. This is the best stage to allow the tree roots to embed into the earth whilst it’s cold and the soil is moist. The tree will settle and have the best possible start which paves the way for continued growth over the coming years. There’s almost nothing the winter weather can throw at these young trees that would damage them. We use tree protectors to allow for extra protection from wind, rabbits, and any weeds and grass around the base of the tree which may compete for moisture and nutrients. Our trees are between 4 and 6 foot when planted. Where the tree is planted on top of a body burial, the atoms and compounds of the body will feed the tree roots which is what we mean when we refer to the 'cycle of life & nature'. Tree planting season is November through to March.

We charge an additional £20 which will be paid into a ring fenced fund covering, covering the long-term management and protection of the site once all the grave spaces are sold, we ask in kind for an annual contribution to this fund.

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This maintenance fund will ensure that the site remains an accessible, safe and a pleasant place to visit, long into the future. This fund will be managed by the trustees and will cover maintenance, insurance and habitat management once the site is full