If you have recently been bereaved our deepest sympathies are with you, and we would like to do all we can to help.
It is always a privilege to take the funerals of anyone who lives in East Mendip Trinity, for a former resident who has moved away, or anyone who has a connection with our churches in Coleford, Holcombe or Kilmersdon with Babington.
Some information is detailed below but you may find it helpful to look at the website Church of England Funerals where you can also light a virtual candle for whoever has died.
The first step is to contact a funeral director, and the funeral director will arrange the date with me and explain the fees to you. If you would like me to recommend a funeral director, or if you would like to ask me any questions, then please telephone me on 01373 812705 or email me at [email protected].
Funerals in Church
You do not have to be a member of the church to have your funeral in Holy Trinity Coleford, St Andrew’s Holcombe or St Peter and St Paul Kilmersdon. You may have a service in church, followed by either a burial in the churchyard or cemetery, or followed by a cremation. There is no time limit on a church funeral, although if it is followed by a cremation we need to time that to fit in.
Funerals at the Graveside
If you prefer, you may have your funeral service by the graveside.
Funeral at a Crematorium
I am equally happy to lead a funeral in a crematorium. The nearest ones are Mendip, near Shepton Mallet, and Haycombe, just this side of Bath. We usually have about 30 minutes for the service.
Burial of Ashes
If the committal or funeral has been at a crematorium, or elsewhere, I am very happy to bury the ashes later, either in the churchyard or cemetery.
Fees
There will be no fees charged if the funeral is for someone who has died aged under 18. The fees we have to charge will be included in the bill given to you by your funeral director who will discuss them with you. However, it may help you to know what the fees are. For 2024, the funeral service charge is £228, wherever the funeral is. The burial in a churchyard will be between £366 and £473, depending on when the burial is. If we take a service in a crematorium the fee is £228. We do not set these fees, they are set by the Church of England. In addition, there are a few extras for a funeral in church, which are as follows:
Organist: normally £70 – £90
Verger: £25
Heating: £35 (it will be up to us to decide whether we need to charge this – always in winter, usually in spring and autumn and occasionally in summer)
Headstones
Sometimes headstones need to be updated or repaired. If so, please get it touch with me first – 01373 812705 or email me at [email protected]