Natural Burials at Sharpham Meadow

It brings me some peace to see the wonderful vistas around this spot...Birdsong, and the almost ever-present breeze rushing through the trees and long grasses adds a peaceful susurrus.
                            - person visiting their father’s grave

With stunning views of the River Dart and across the South Hams Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sharpham Meadow Natural Burial Ground offers an ecological alternative to traditional burial or cremation and is open to all - regardless of faith or local residency, whether you are using a funeral director or not, having a religious ceremony, a secular ceremony, or no ceremony at all.

The Meadow differs in feel and practice from a traditional churchyard or a municipal cemetery. Ashes can be interred here as well as burials.

The site is cared for as a hay meadow, hence the grass is allowed to grow long and cut periodically. Only simple flat headstones are permitted and no other memorial items or plantings are allowed.

The energy of the special ground filled my body and it was such a special feeling and memory that will stay with me forever

 

Visiting & more information

The site is open daily and you can visit anytime in daylight hours. There is a compost toilet.

Click here to browse our terms and conditions, our prices and to find reservation forms

Finding a Funeral Director

You can use any Funeral Director to arrange burials at Sharpham Meadow. Click here to see a list (not exhaustive)

Once you have selected a Funeral Director they will make all the arrangements according to your needs.

A beautiful place to be

The meadow was created in 2013 by the Sharpham Trust which is the charity that looks after the 550-acre Sharpham Estate. Any income generated from the burial ground goes towards covering the costs of running the site and the Trust's other charitable activities.

The meadow is at the top of the Estate with stunning views down the River Dart and across the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. As it is owned by the Trust the site will be protected in perpetuity.

A ceremonial building has been constructed at the meadow built using natural materials with cob walls and a green sedum roof. The building is there to be used by families and friends visiting the meadow. There is also a compost toilet nearby.

In June 2015, the Fire Circle was unveiled - a surround for the fire around which mourners and families can gather and be seated, perhaps lighting candles, meditating, or leaving flowers or messages to the dead. The artwork was the result of our Artist in Residence programme and you can read more about the Fire Circle and see pictures and a video of the ceremony by clicking here.

Thank you for your sensitivity in creating such a calm and peaceful place

See this mini-documentary (9 minutes) of the construction of our ceremonial building at Sharpham Meadow, filmed by Bill Ryley: