Cemeteries Service

Services Offered by our Cemeteries Service

We do not directly arrange funerals or the erection of memorials. Most people employ a funeral director or memorial mason to act on their behalf.

Our Cemeteries Service offers facilities for burials in four cemeteries in Oxford:

• Botley Cemetery - North Hinksey Lane
• Headington Cemetery - Dunstan Road
• Rose Hill Cemetery - Church Cowley Road
• Wolvercote Cemetery - Banbury Road

Our Cemeteries staff offer a helpful and friendly service in a sympathetic and professional manner in order to assist Funeral Directors and families who have suffered a bereavement. One of the Cemeteries Service managers will be present at the Cemetery on the day of the burial.

We have also created a calendar to show funeral directors what cemeteries service booking slots may be available in the upcoming weeks on our Cemeteries Booking Schedule page.

Procedure for Arranging Interments

Please see the documents below for full details about booking interments at our cemeteries:

Cemeteries Service Procedure for Arranging Purchased Interments (66kB PDF)
Cemeteries Service Procedure for Arranging Unpurchased Interments (41kB PDF)
Cemeteries Service Procedure for Arranging Installation of a Memorial (38kB PDF)

Rules and Regulations

Cemeteries Service Rules and Regulations (71kB PDF)

Cemeteries Service FAQs

Cemeteries Service Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) (46kB PDF)

Cemetery Opening Hours

Wolvercote and Rose Hill Cemeteries - now using automated gates

Spring & Summer (from Monday 25 March to Sunday 28 October 2012)
Monday 1 April to Sunday 28 October 2013
Monday 31 March to Sunday 26 October 2014

Autumn & Winter (from Monday 29 October 2012 to Sunday 31 March 2013):
Monday 29 October 2013 to Sunday 30 March 2014
Monday 27 October 2014 to Sunday 29 March 2015

Other Cemeteries

Our Cemeteries are open 365 days a year :

Contacting the Cemeteries Service

You can contact the Cemeteries Service on 01865 252516 or Email us.

The opening hours of the Cemeteries Office are:

Do I have to make an appointment to see a member of the Cemeteries Service?

Casual callers are welcome during the times above, however during busy periods staff may not be available because of funeral workload. 

Visitors are advised to make an appointment so that time can be set aside to deal with queries.

Cemeteries Service Costs

Cemeteries Fees and Charges 2012-13 (46kB PDF)

People on low income can apply to the Department for Work and Pensions for a Social Fund Funeral Payment to assist in meeting funeral costs.

Other important information on cemeteries and funerals

Chapels

Each Cemetery has a chapel for use by any denomination and is fully equipped with:

• organ
• service books
• hymn books
• floral decorations
• heating

Viewing, if required, is by appointment, as the chapels are locked when not in use. Please use the contacts above to make an appointment

Memorials

All memorials are erected in accordance with the Cemeteries Rules and Regulations. Advice on how to obtain:

• a memorial
• insurance
• lists of memorial masons
• rules and regulations

may be obtained from the Cemeteries Office. Oxford City Council do not undertake any memorial work.

We carry out the memorial checks as part of a legal requirement under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Visit our Memorial Inspections page for full details.

Maintenance of Cemeteries

General maintenance of the cemeteries is carried out by the Cemeteries Service, although relatives may wish to maintain their own graves e.g. the planting of annual flowers.

Not all graves may be planted out, such as graves on lawn sections. Further information can be obtained from the Cemeteries Office.

Woodland Burials

This service is available in specified woodland burial areas in the following cemeteries:

• Botley Cemetery
• Headington Cemetery (limited availability)
• Wolvercote Cemetery

In these cases no headstones or artificial memorials are permitted. A selected tree or shrub will be planted on the grave along with woodland flowers if requested.

All graves are of a single depth, and help with preparation and planting of the tree will be considered.

These areas will be allowed to develop into woodlands of remembrance.

A small grave marker containing the name of the deceased and the date of death can be placed at the base of the tree.

Cremated Remains Burial

Cremated remains may be buried in an existing family grave or in designated areas in the following cemeteries:

• Botley Cemetery
• Headington Cemetery
• Rose Hill Cemetery
• Wolvercote Cemetery

More details can be obtained from the Cemeteries Office.

Genealogy (Family History)

Family histories can be traced from our manual records. All enquires must be made by prior arrangement for which there is a charge before information is released.

Disused/Closed Cemeteries and Churchyards

There are disused/closed cemeteries at:

• Osney - Mill Street 
• St. Sepulchre's - Walton Street

There are disused/closed churchyards at:

• St. Giles
• St. Mary Magdalen
• St. Michael at the Northgate 
• St. Cross in St. Cross Road which adjoins Hollywell Cemetery (not maintained by the City Council)
• St. James - Beauchamp Lane Cowley
• Ss Mary and John in Cowley
• Ss Mary and Nicholas in Littlemore
• St. Andrew's in Headington (not maintained by the City Council) 

These are maintained by us and are open to the public for visiting the graves or simply to walk or sit in relaxed settings.

Cemetery and Churchyard Locations

Botley Cemetery
North Hinksey Lane
Botley,
Oxford, OX2 0LX

Headington Cemetery
Dunstan Road
Headington
Oxford, OX3 9BY

Rose Hill Cemetery
Church Cowley Road
Rose Hill
Oxford, OX4 3JR

Wolvercote Cemetery
Banbury Road
Oxford, OX2 8EE

Please note - the postcodes above should be used for navigation and not for post.

Commercial Cemetery Management and Maintenance Service

Please visit our Oxford Direct Services website for more information about this and the other services on offer.

Page last reviewed 17 April 2012