A funeral business has been given the green light to build the first and only modern barrow site in the East Midlands at Calverton.
The handcrafted stone barrows, which draw inspiration from ancient monuments, will be located on George’s Lane just outside the village, following the approval of the family business’s planning application by Gedling Borough Council.
The site was originally granted permission to be a cemetery in August 2022. Once this approval was secured, A.W. Lymn, who own the site, started to consider how part of the site could be transformed to offer a different form of memorial – the barrows.
A planning application for one closed and two open barrows on a small part of the 27-acre cemetery in late 2023. Having addressed original concerns and offering significant changes to the design, the application has now been approved.
Pete Clarson, commercial director at A.W. Lymn, said: “When it comes to saying a final goodbye, we recognise that this doesn’t always look the same for everyone. Having a variety of options to choose from to suit your personal needs, preferences and wishes is so incredibly important.
“The barrows, however, are more than a place for ashes to be laid to rest. It’s a place where recently bereaved can go to understand their grief, accept their loss, and celebrate a life.
“We will soon be offering a very unique and timeless memorial option, while also actively respecting the rural character of the site.”
The ritual of using burial mounds (barrows) is one of the oldest funeral traditions in Britain, dating back millennia. The beautiful, natural-looking barrows are designed with niches for cremated remains to be placed within, providing a peaceful setting for a service and final resting place.
