Tavistock Town Council has been providing the increasingly popular green burial service at our Plymouth Road Cemetery since 1999, with the first burial taking place in January of that year. The concept of a green burial meadow is to provide a peaceful resting place in a manner which is friendly towards nature, wildlife and the environment.

Our meadow allows for remains to be interred in consecrated land using biodegradable materials such as a cardboard or wicker coffin. The burial is simple with the area being left much as nature intended without headstones or clearly marked out graves. There are two oak trees which have been planted to mark the entrance to the site and a dry-stone wall to define the site from the main Cemetery. All graves are marked with a small disk and are individually numbered which allows our Cemetery staff to keep a plan of the area, to enable family and friends to locate where their loved ones are laid to rest.

As many families these days now move around and are not always based in the same area this can cause problems with grave maintenance. Our green burial meadow requires no regular maintenance from family and friends to secure an everlasting dignified place of rest as nature takes over. The area is managed as a hay meadow and as such is mown in high summer. The hay is left to dry in situ to allow the wildlife seeds to fall before being raked up and composted.  

Those who choose a meadow burial will be contributing towards creating a haven for wildflowers, insects, birds and mammals.

There is a Book of Remembrance located in the Cemetery Waiting Room to allow a memorial to be recorded; alternatively, you may like to consider providing a wooden seat with memorial plaque to commemorate a loved one. If you would like to have a memorial arranged, please contact the Town Council. More information on Memorial benches.

For more information on green burials please Contact Us.

Please also read our Green Burial Policy.