Burials

Burial Services: Honoring Your Loved One with Care and Compassion.

At Brighton Family Funeral Directors, we understand that every life is unique and deserves to be celebrated with dignity. Our dedicated team is committed to fulfilling the wishes of your loved one by providing professional and compassionate burial services.

With a deep appreciation for personalisation, we ensure that every aspect and desire of the funeral service is meticulously taken care of. Our caring family is available round the clock to guide and support you through the process, offering all the necessary information to help you choose the perfect final resting place.

Discover a selection of burial grounds offering breathtaking views across East and West Sussex. Whether you envision a traditional burial or prefer an eco-friendly option, we have you covered. Our 24/7 availability ensures that we are always here for you, ready to discuss your needs and provide thoughtful guidance.

On this page, you will find comprehensive information about local burial grounds in Sussex and the surrounding areas. We have also included details about what to expect during a burial service and more. We hope that this resource answers any questions you may have. However, if you would like to speak to someone and discuss a burial service in greater detail, please feel free to call us anytime, day or night, at 01273 032589.

What is a burial?

A burial is a solemn ceremony that follows the main funeral service. It is during this graveside service that mourners gather to pay their respects as the coffin is gently lowered into its final resting place. This poignant moment serves as a farewell and a tribute, honouring the life of the departed individual.

Does a Burial Have to be religious?

Is a religious ceremony necessary for a burial?

The decision is in your hands. You have the freedom to choose between a religious or non-religious service. Typically, a religious service is led by an ordained minister or clergy member who represents a specific faith or religion. Conversely, a non-religious ceremony can be conducted by a civil celebrant or officiant associated with the humanist society. Alternatively, you may decide not to have a service at all. The choice is yours.

Why choose a burial?

When it comes to the choice between burial and cremation, several factors come into play. Religious beliefs often play a significant role in this decision. Additionally, if you are considering arranging an eco-friendly funeral, a burial might be the more appropriate option.

One question that frequently arises is, “Why should I choose burial instead of cremation?” If you find yourself unsure, we have compiled a list of burial benefits to help simplify your decision-making process.

Permanent Gravesite to Visit

• Eternal Resting Place to Pay Tribute
• Choosing burial as the final resting place for your loved one offers a profound advantage – a lasting memorial that provides solace and reflection for families and friends. Having a dedicated space at a cemetery where physical visits can take place can greatly aid in the grieving process for many individuals. These visits, filled with reverence and emotion, create a sense of connection with those who have departed. For numerous families, this invaluable aspect of burial sets it apart from cremation.

Traditional Choice

The Conventional Option

Burial services often emerge as the timeless preference. Many individuals naturally gravitate towards burial as the traditional and heartfelt way to bid farewell and pay homage to their cherished loved ones. When envisioning a funeral, most people imagine a solemn ceremony followed by a poignant coffin burial service, symbolizing the final act of saying goodbye.

Natural and peaceful surroundings

Cemeteries often evoke a sense of peace, beauty, and a profound connection to the final resting place. What finer setting could there be to celebrate and honor a life than under the expansive sky, amidst the gentle rustle of trees, or amidst the vibrant presence of flowers? Regardless of the cemetery where your loved one’s burial service takes place, the natural surroundings offer emotional and spiritual solace that resonates with many.

Facilitating a Meaningful Farewell

A funeral accompanied by a burial service provides solace, closure, and a means for coping with grief. Observing the solemn lowering of the coffin into the ground grants individuals the closure they seek during such moments, and is widely regarded as a fitting and respectful farewell.

Being With Your Loved One

With burials, individuals have the opportunity to rest eternally beside their spouse and other family members. For example, in the event of a husband’s passing, he can be laid to rest with his wife beside him, ensuring they remain together forever.

While arrangements can be made for loved ones to be buried together, it is important to inform us prior to the funeral. This is because certain burial grounds may have restrictions on additional grave depths.

By choosing to be buried alongside loved ones, individuals can find solace in the knowledge that they will be forever united, even in the peacefulness of eternity.

What happens at a Burial Service?

At a Burial Service, before the funeral, our compassionate funeral director will meet with you and your family at their home or the deceased’s home. They will arrive with the hearse and processional vehicles. The mourners will then be driven to the funeral service. Alternatively, if the family finds it too emotional to travel in the cortege behind the hearse, they can choose to meet the funeral procession at the funeral venue.

After the service

After the funeral service, family members may gather outside the venue to personally greet those who attended. The hearse and cortege will then proceed to the cemetery or woodland burial ground, marking the final journey of the departed. Family and friends will follow, with the funeral director guiding the pallbearers chosen to carry the coffin. Together, they will solemnly walk to the graveside, paying their respects.

At the graveside

As the pallbearers lower the coffin into the grave, the officiant or minister may offer a few words, inviting loved ones to place flowers and earth as a final tribute.

After the funeral services conclude, the grave will be filled once family members have departed unless they wish to take part in the process.

We acknowledge the significance of this decision and are committed to assisting you in making the best possible choice. Our dedicated and empathetic funeral arrangers are available to provide guidance and support. Please reach out to us at 01273 032589.

Local Cemeteries

Brighton, Hove and Portslade cemeteries

The council’s burial grounds

The council own and manages seven cemeteries, covering almost 170 acres, to the highest standard possible. This is in accordance with the requirements of statutory law, bylaws and customs, including religious and ethnic considerations.

To find out more information, please click here.

Cemeteries and crematoriums in West Sussex