Understanding Burials
What to expect when arranging a burial at Astwood or St John's, and how we can help.
A note on our current services
Astwood and St John's cemeteries remain open as normal. Worcester Crematorium is being refurbished until 2026, and our team is based at the KGV Hub (visits by appointment only).
Booking a burial service
Your funeral director will usually book your preferred day and time and provide all the paperwork, along with advice on coffin bearing, flowers and special mementoes. Please be respectful of other mourners when you arrive for your service.
Burial services
- Mon - Sun : 10:00-15:00
Applications
Made to the cemetery office
- Mon - Fri : 8:30-16:30
- Public holidays : Closed

Choosing a section
Astwood offers a choice of areas, with dedicated sections for particular needs.
Dedicated sections
Children's sections, and separate Natural Burial, Muslim Burial and Commonwealth War Graves areas.
How we prepare and care for a grave
Our experienced team makes sure that both the grave being prepared and the graves around it are respected and protected. Where access is difficult we hand-dig to keep any impact to a minimum, and where a soil box is needed we risk-assess it carefully. An approved stonemason will remove and re-erect any memorial affected by a nearby burial as soon as possible afterwards. Burial ceremonies usually take around 30 minutes, and can be longer if you need. Where we can, we scatter flowers in the grave before the burial and use quality walk boards around the graveside, and our grave dressings are of the highest quality and cleaned regularly.

Owning and looking after a grave
A grave is leased to you, and there are a few things worth knowing about caring for it.
Exclusive Right of Burial
Graves are leased for 30 or 99 years, and the lease can be extended. You don't own the land — it stays in the Council's ownership — and as the registered lease owner you are responsible for the memorial's upkeep and safety.
Using an existing grave
If a double grave has been purchased, you can arrange with your funeral director to use it again, for example a husband and wife or parent and child. The grave deed shows ownership.
Looking after a grave
Families usually remove flowers a few days after the funeral. Anything left after 14 days may be cleared by our team. We also offer a fresh-flower and tidy-up service.
Fees and charges
For current burial fees, including the Exclusive Right of Burial, see our fees and charges. We will always try to accommodate cultural, religious or personal requests — such as horse-drawn carriages, pipers or a military service — so please let the cemetery office know as early as you can.