London Road Cemetery

London Road, Thatcham, Berkshire RG18 4LQ

 01635 863592
 enquiries@thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk

Visitor Guidelines

• Interments take place between 12pm – 3.30pm on Mondays and between 10am – 3.30pm, Tuesday to Friday, all year round. No interments will take place on Weekends or Bank Holidays.
• Visitors may access the site 24 hours a day and make use of the designated parking areas.
• Disabled or elderly visitors may drive a car onto the loop roads in both sections of the Cemetery, but are asked not to drive onto the grassed areas.
• Dogs must be kept on leads at all times, in all areas of the Cemetery. Please respect the nature of this setting and do not allow your pets to walk amongst the Memorial stones.
• Water is available from the taps located at various points around the Cemetery and watering cans are provided for you to use.
• Tributes should not be placed anywhere on the lawn, maintenance of the grass is extremely difficult if having to navigate ornaments and planters and can make the Cemetery as a whole look untidy. We understand that comfort can be taken from leaving personal tributes on the graves of loved ones, however please bear in mind that this is a public area and items left here are done so at the owners own risk. Any items left on the grass may be moved onto the concrete strip in the newest section, or removed entirely if space is unavailable beside a memorial stone.
• Glass and ceramic items are not permitted anywhere in the Cemetery as they are easily broken and pose a risk to all visitors. It is with regret that any tributes with glass components will be removed without notice, to prevent injury. This includes lanterns, picture frames, vases and jars.

Visitors are requested to abide by all Cemetery Rules and Regulations which exist to provide for the quiet and peaceful enjoyment of all. Click Here to view the full regulations, they are also on display on the noticeboard at the main entrance.

Arranging an Ashes Interment

If you would like to privately arrange an interment of your loved ones ashes, please complete the “Notice of Interment” form below and send to enquiries@thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk. We will contact you to arrange an available date. If required, the Cemetery Officer can meet you at the Cemetery to view available plots, please call 01635 863682 to arrange a suitable time or ask any questions you may have.

What happens when your loved one has been interred?

• The Cemetery Officer will be in attendance at the Cemetery on the day of the burial to assist the family and Funeral Directors.
• Flowers are placed on graves as soon as possible, this is usually 2-3 hours after the burial has taken place. Our Cemetery Officer will be able to advise the best time to return to see the floral tributes suitably arranged. Tributes are left on display for up to 21 days, after which time they will be carefully removed and disposed of.
• Maintenance of each grave space is carried out as required by Thatcham Town Council. In the case of a burial the grave surface will resettle over time, top soil will be added as needed. This will need to be carried out a number of times over the course of approximately 1 year, the grave will then be turfed once the weather conditions are favourable.

Memorials

• A permit must be obtained from Thatcham Town Council before any permanent memorial is placed on a grave. Please complete the online form here: Gravestones & Monumental Inscriptions. Stonemasons may apply for the permit on your behalf. The size of each memorial must be in line with our regulations, depending on the area of the Cemetery.
• A memorial planting area can be found in the newest section of the Cemetery, near to the ashes plots. If you would like to apply to plant a tree in this area, please complete the online form – Memorial Tree Application Online Form.
• Memorial plaques can be installed on Thatcham Town Council owned benches at the Cemetery, or on the wall inside the Chapel. To apply for a memorial plaque on a bench please complete the online form here: Memorial Plaque Application Form or for a plaque inside the Chapel please complete the online form here: Chapel Plaque Application Form
• The Cemetery Chapel houses the Book of Remembrance, a fitting and lasting tribute to the memory of a loved one’s name, date of passing and sometimes a small epitaph or motif. The book can be viewed on prior arrangement with the Cemetery Officer. Please contact the Town Council Offices if you would like to add a name to the book.
• All memorial stones over 625mm in height are stability tested every 5 years. Should a memorial stone fail this test you will be advised that a repair is required.
• If you are the Lessee of a plot at Thatcham Cemetery and your contact details change, please contact us on 01635 863593 to update our records.

United Service of Remembrance

Bereaved family and friends are invited to meet at London Road Cemetery for a simple service of Remembrance. This event takes place biennially in July, all are welcome to join us as we come together to remember our loved ones who are laid to rest. The service is led by members of Thatcham Clergy and music is provided by Cold Ash Brass Band.

The next United Service of Remembrance is due to take place in the Summer of 2025. If you would like to register your interest in attending, or request your loved ones name to be read out during the service, please contact us at enquiries@thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk.

The Memory Tree

Dedicate memories and Christmas messages to lost loved ones during the month of December. Tags and pens will be available, in a box next to the tree, throughout the month which can be tied onto the Christmas Tree. The Memory Tree can be found in the middle section of London Road Cemetery from the 1st December every year.

The 2023 Memory Tree at London Road Cemetery, Thatcham

Letters to Lost Loved Ones

Postbox to send letters to lost loved ones at London Road Cemetery

Facilities

• There is a toilet located to the left of the garages, it will be unlocked during interments or events held at the Cemetery only.
• Limited car parking is available on the gravel areas in the newest section and near the entrance to the Chapel drive in the middle section.
• The Chapel is available to hire for private services.
• Access to the Cemetery is available 24 hours a day. However, should you wish to enter the Chapel this will need to be by prior arrangement with the Cemetery Officer during office hours.