Earlham Cemetery

About Us

Woodland burials in Norwich can be interred in Earlham Road Cemetery, which is owned and managed by the City Council. The cemetery is used for traditional funerals, but older areas of it are now designated as a natural burial ground. It is also a notable green space and an area of it has been designated as a County Wildlife Site and maintained in accordance with a Habitat Management Plan supported by volunteers.

The cemetery was established in 1854 and contains 553 military graves, dating from the 19th century. The cemetery is open for new interments and the council recently conducted a 3-year survey of burials in it to ascertain the number of common graves.

The council intends to use any remaining space in these graves for natural burials. Existing burials will not be disturbed, but the family of anyone interred in the remaining spaces will have the right to erect a memorial on the grave subject to fees and conditions.

Coffins and urns must be made from biodegradable materials. Only environmentally-friendly grave-markers are permitted; memorials cannot be carved from stone that was imported from overseas and the design should fit with the Victorian heritage of the cemetery. No dogs are permitted inside it.

Many different types of flora, fauna and fungi can be observed and Friends of Earlham Cemetery lead monthly walks around it.

This living environment is a tranquil and peaceful space for visitors to pay their respects and reflect on the lives of loved ones who are buried in it.