The South Oxfordshire Memorial Park and Crematorium is located between East Hanney and the village of Frilford just off the A338 and has been designed using local materials and products.
The memorial gardens and cemetery sections offer memorialisation made mainly from British stone and so will blend perfectly with the green meadows and scattered woodland of the Vale of White Horse, overlooked by the bronze age figure of the white horse just beneath Uffington Castle, around 8 miles to the west, along the Ock Valley.
The South Oxfordshire Memorial Park and Crematorium offers cremation, natural burial and traditional burial. The natural burial section caters for families who wish for burial in a non-traditional manner, respecting the work of nature and without any visible memorial. This form of burial is proving to be in greater demand than ever before.
The chapel seats 96 people, it has the potential to stand and seat 150 by including the foyer space, and can accommodate services of up to a maximum of 200 people on the site by piping the service outside under the porte-cochere. It may be used for cremation, burial or memorial services. Parking for 60 vehicles is also available with overflow capacity for around an additional 40 places.
Within the chapel there is a hearing loop to assist those with hearing difficulties; a Obitus media system, which downloads music from anywhere in the world via the internet; an organ to accompany those wishing to sing hymns; a public address system; two plasma televisions for pre-recorded eulogies or silent photographic presentations during the service and web cam facilities for internet viewing for those unable to attend a service. A single projected image and committal lighting is also available free of charge – for more details, click here.
The subtle use of colour is intended to be sober and serene rather than depressing and morbid. Views from the huge picture window in the chapel are restful, rural and appropriate.
A funeral service may be a religious commitment to whichever faith. It may not be. Either way, for the bereaved family and friends it is a very sad and deeply personal experience. Therefore, it is essential that on the day they feel that they have the chapel to themselves and are not merely part of a tragic conveyor belt.
Service times are available at 1 hour intervals and can be extended upon request. Services can also be booked outside of normal hours and at weekends.