Burials and Cremations


West Lancashire's Cemeteries  

West Lancashire Borough Council operate 3 cemeteries

  1. Liverpool Road Cemetery, Liverpool Road, Skelmersdale
  2. Certain areas within St Paul's Church, Church Road, Skelmersdale
  3. Becconsall Old Church Yard, Becconsall Lane, Hesketh Bank (Please note this is a closed cemetery)

The Council is responsible for conducting all burials and ashes internments in the above cemeteries. Unfortunately there are no new plots available at any of our cemeteries, however Liverpool Road and St Paul's Cemeteries do have spaces in existing graves for plot holders.

In most cases your funeral director will make all necessary arrangements, however should you wish to make an enquiry please call 01695 577177 or e-mail: burials@westlancs.gov.uk 

Cremations  

We do not operate a crematorium in West Lancashire.

There is a private crematorium in Burscough, visit West Lancashire Crematorium (external link) for more info.

There are also crematoria facilities in neighbouring authorities:

    

Exclusive Rights of Burial

When you purchase a grave plot, you’re buying the right to bury a body or ashes (cremated remains) in that grave, not the surrounding land. This is called the Exclusive Rights of Burial. These rights may be granted to more than one person.

As the owner of the grave, these Rights give you permission for remains or ashes to be buried. If more than one person holds the Rights to the grave then all rights holders must give permission. Any holder of these rights automatically has the right to buried in the grave. Rights holders also have the right to add a memorial to the grave, depending on the cemetery or crematorium’s rules and regulations.

When you’re given the Rights to a grave, you’re given a deed (a legal document) that shows you own it. This is called the Grant of Exclusive Rights of Burial and should be kept in a safe place until the time when the grave is used.

A Transfer of Exclusive Rights of Burial can be obtained, further information should be sought from a funeral director or a solicitor.

All Rights are granted for a fixed period of time. In West Lancashire this is 99 years.

Your funeral director will be able to provide more information.

 

Cemetery Rules

The Council asks that all visitors to our cemeteries do so with consideration to the site they are visiting. In order to preserve these sites and allow the Council to maintain them effectively we ask that all visitors and grave owners follow the simple rules below.

  • No vehicles including motorcycles are allowed within the grounds of the cemetery
  • Bicycles and scooters must be left at the entrance and must not be used within the grounds of the Cemetery.
  • Planting of trees, flowers or shrubs in grave spaces and ashes plots other than by the Council, is not permitted.
  • Aside from headstones, no graves may contain border stones or any other form of edging.
  • Dogs are permitted within cemeteries however they must be kept under close control at all times.
  • Visitors are requested to keep to the footpaths and walkways and not to walk across the graves or to damage the shrubs or flowers.
  • No repair works can be carried out in the Cemetery except by persons employed or approved by the Council. Authorised persons working in the Cemetery do so on the condition that they will indemnify the Council against any damage to graves, ashes plots, surrounds, headstones, tablets, Council property etc., caused by them.
  • Permission to erect or amend any headstones, tablets or inscriptions can only be granted by approval of the Council. Applications can be filled out on the form here.
  • Headstones/tablets must be kept in good repair by the registered owner of the grave/ashes plot. Notice will be sent to the registered owner in the case of any repair being required.  After two months in default, the Council will proceed to either make safe or remove the headstone/tablet.

 

Exhumations  

For further information regarding exhumations in the Council's cemeteries please contact Environmental Services, Robert Hodge Centre, Stanley Way, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, WN8 8EE Tel: 01695 577177  Email: burials@westlancs.gov.uk

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