The Pet Cemetery at Chestnut Lodge
Chestnut Lodge Pet Cemetery, established in 1969, provides a peaceful final resting place for beloved pets. Nestled among trees and shrubs, our cemetery is designed in an informal manner, creating a serene environment.
We offer comprehensive services for the burial of your pet or their ashes, understanding the unique expectations each pet owner may have. To ensure the setting aligns with your vision, we encourage you to visit us and experience it firsthand. You can also watch a video on this page to get a glimpse of what we offer. We believe that choosing a burial for your pet is a lasting commitment, and we want you to feel absolutely certain and content with your decision.
For Clients Using the Pet Crematorium
If you opt for an individual cremation for your pet, we provide the option to inter the ashes in a designated plot or scatter them over our small copse at the entrance to the cemetery. In the case of a communal cremation, the ashes are respectfully placed in a sizable grave located behind a fenced area. This depository gradually fills over several years, with each layer thoughtfully covered as it reaches capacity. Adjacent to the depository, a memorial area allows you to install a plaque or leave flowers in remembrance. At Chestnut Lodge we strive to provide a comforting and dignified final resting place for all pets.
As with the Individual Pet Cremation Service or Communal Pet Cremation Service, you may like to consider having other mementos of your pet.
Paw prints, Clay Impressions & Fur Cuttings can all be taken as beautiful lasting reminders of your pet.
Green Burials
For those of you who may not like the thought of cremation but do not want a formal cemetery plot, we have introduced the option of green burial. Your pet will be wrapped in a covering rather than a coffin and placed into a grave within the memorial shrub bed next to the communal cremation ashes depository. The grave will be marked by a shrub and left to grow naturally. The plot will have a grave marker to identify your pet, however you can have a small plaque placed by the shrub if you wish.
Formal Burial
Formal pet burials are in marked plots and several pets may share a family plot. It is normally an informal affair but you may like to add your own personal touches. We are always happy to discuss how you want to proceed. All plots must have an approved memorial ordered within four months. Sample memorial styles & prices can be seen in the Memorial brochure 2024. Annual Maintenance fees apply.
The fees include a burial coffin, attendance at the burial, Cemetery Maintenance & Visiting Rights to the end of the year of burial & a £100 deposit towards the required headstone/memorial Plaque.
All memorials, headstones must be approved by Chestnut Lodge.
If the plot is not marked within the required time, we reserve the right to use the deposit provided to furnish the grave with a marker.
For those who do not wish or are unable to attend, photographs can be provided on request for a £45.
Burial of Pets’ Ashes
Cemetery Maintenance Fees
There is an annual Maintenance Fee payable for each plot or memorial in the cemetery. This entitles you to full visiting rights for as long as you wish to keep the plot. The fee goes towards the maintenance of the grounds and normally rises approximately in line with inflation. The upkeep of the memorial or plot if it demarcated is your responsibility. The intention is that the Pet Cemetery will remain in existence indefinitely but we can give no legal guarantee on that. It has been here since 1969 and survived a number a threatening legislation changes so we are as permanent as any pet cemetery could be.
The annual fee will be charged each year in January, starting the year following the date of burial. We will contact you at the start of each year, so please make sure we have your most up-to-date contact information.
Payment of the Cemetery Maintenance Fee is essential if you wish to keep your plot and visiting rights to the Cemetery. Please see our document “Private Graves – Conditions of Use” for full details.
Should you wish to give up your plot it may be reused. We never remove any remains from the cemetery but they may be reburied at a greater depth or left where they are and the new plot moved to one side. This is to ensure the survival of Chestnut Lodge Pet Cemetery as a business that can provide help for pet owners in the years to come.
To ease the burden when the time comes you may register your details with us.
There is no commitment and you can change your mind at any time.
We also take reservations for plots. These are charged at the normal Annual Cemetery Maintenance Fee.
We Care For Your Pets
At Chestnut Lodge we understand how deeply you love your pet. In this difficult time we are here with gentle care, helping you honour their life with dignity.
Our peaceful cemetery offers a lasting place of remembrance, where love lives on and your pet is never forgotten.