East Suffolk Council
Cemeteries and burials
The council is responsible for running cemeteries at:
- Victoria Road, Aldeburgh, IP15 5DY
- London Road, Beccles, NR34 9YR
- Hillside Road West, Bungay, NR35 1RQ
- Holton Road, Halesworth, IP19 8HD
- Saxmundham Road, Leiston, IP16 4JE
- Kirkley Cemetery, London Road South, Lowestoft, NR33 0PD (Car park at Kirkley Gardens, Lowestoft, NR33 7LT)
- Lowestoft Cemetery, Normanston Drive, Lowestoft, NR32 2PZ
- Park End, Saxmundham, IP17 1DW
- Wangford Road, Southwold, IP18 6PA
- Wrentham New Cemetery, Henstead Road, Wrentham (Adjacent to church)
- Wrentham Old Cemetery, Chapel Road, Wrentham, NR34 7LX (Wrentham Old Cemetery has no free grave space left available, other than for re-opening of existing graves)
- Woodbridge (Old and New Cemeteries), Woodbridge, IP12 4DZ
Belle Vue Park Cemetery (Yarmouth Road, Lowestoft, NR32 4AL) is managed by Lowestoft Town Council however please contact East Suffolk Council for more information or to book an interment.
Cemetery and burial administration and cemetery maintenance is carried out by Norse. Please contact them if you would like to report any problems in one of our cemeteries.
East Suffolk Council manages it's cemeteries under these policies:
- Cemeteries and Closed Churchyard Management Policy
- Environmental Policy for Cemeteries and Closed Churchyards
- Health and Safety Policy for Cemeteries and Closed Churchyards
The cemeteries are open to the public from dawn until dusk unless otherwise indicated by notices placed at the entrances. Specified areas in the cemeteries may be temporarily closed to visitors at times.
There are many other burial grounds in the district. These are maintained by parish councils, church bodies and, in some cases, local undertakers.
Choosing a grave
Our cemeteries offer various options. Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with the types of grave available and be sure to select the appropriate section of the cemetery. Please note that a wrong decision at this point could mean that you will not be able to have the memorial of your choice.
How do I buy a grave?
Your funeral director can help to make all the necessary arrangements for buying the rights to a grave, however some people prefer to make their own arrangements. We are happy to offer you any advice and assistance, or answer any questions or concerns that you may have.
What is it that I actually buy?
The payment for a grave is for the purchase of the Exclusive Right of Burial, which grants the person(s) named upon it the exclusive right to decide who may be buried within the grave for a period of 25 years. It also allows you to place a memorial upon the grave. A further period may be purchased if required.
Is it possible to buy a grave in advance?
Yes. This is fairly common when a family wish to have a grave close to another member of family, or if you are making your own funeral arrangements with a funeral director in advance (sometimes referred to as a 'funeral plan'). We can select a suitable grave for you, or you can arrange to meet us in your preferred cemetery to view the options available to you.
Do I have to buy the rights to the grave space?
No. There are a number of graves available in our cemeteries that may be used if you do not wish to buy the rights to a grave (these graves are known as "common graves"). However, it is worth bearing in mind that you will not be able to have a memorial or have any say in who else gets buried within the grave space.
Transferring the rights of a grave
If the owner(s) of the Exclusive Right of Burial is alive, this can be done easily with their permission. If the owner is deceased however, this can sometimes be quite an involved issue, and situations vary depending upon individual circumstances. Please contact us for details.
What happens if/when all the owners have died?
Ownership of the exclusive Right of Burial in a grave can be transferred from a deceased owner via that owner's estate. The means of transfer can be very complex and while there is a set procedure to follow, each case must be looked at individually. If you need to transfer ownership when all owners are deceased you will need to contact us.
Can cremated remains be buried within the cemeteries?
Yes. There are dedicated areas in our cemeteries, with smaller plots, for this purpose. Cremated remains can also be interred in a full grave space.
When can burials take place?
Burials can take place on any weekday, except bank holidays. Please talk to your funeral director or contact us to discuss any specific needs.
Are all the graves on consecrated ground?
Most of our cemeteries have grave spaces available in consecrated (blessed as sacred by the Church of England) and unconsecrated areas.
Commemorative benches
A commemorative bench is an enduring way of remembering your loved one, whilst providing real benefit to your local park or open space. This service is administered by East Suffolk Norse.
The application process to sponsor a new bench on land owned by East Suffolk Council has now reopened. For future information and to request a sponsorship form please contact East Suffolk Norse at ESN.Info@ncsgrp.co.uk
- Commemorative Bench Policy - please read this carefully before completing the application form
Useful links
- Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management
- Home Office
- Suffolk County Council Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths
- Norfolk County Council Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths
In accordance with the current restrictions, funeral services are now continuing with no maximum number of people in attendance, although social distancing in family or bubble groups should still be adhered to.
All Cemetery Chapels are open, with the wearing of masks inside these venues mandatory, unless of course, you are exempt. However, we reserve the right to close the Chapels either upon Government guidance or a local rise in the Covid-19 infection rate.
Memorial services can still always be arranged at a later date for those that were not able to attend due to previous Government restrictions