The Woodland Cemetery (Cheshunt)
The Cemetery has been created to be an environmentally friendly way of burying loved ones. The Woodland Cemetery has been developed as a natural wooded area with only English woodland trees, shrubs and plants, at full maturity full tree cover will be established.
In this beautiful natural environment the graves are marked only with a small ground level plaque rather than a full tombstone. The Woodland Cemetery enables its members the choice to be buried in an ecologically-friendly manner. The burial can include a coffin made from plain wood, bamboo or wicker all of which decompose naturally. If you wish, the grave can be marked with a small flat gravestone that will gradually sink into the ground over time.
Although certain stone memorials are permitted, the aim is to ensure that everything else in the cemetery is completely natural, with no plastic or other materials on the graves.
For those who want a woodland environment but an upright stone, there is also a lawn area where the grave is marked with a simple upright stone and is surrounded by grass. In addition there is a columbarium where cremated ashes can be interred and marked with a plaque.
In the woodland section, relatives have the choice of two areas: the natural area, which will be seeded with grass and meadow plant and is allowed to naturalise immediately with no individual grave spaces delineated, or the garden area. Relatives can arrange for the individual grave to be planted with a specific selection of woodland plants, for our guidance booklet re internment and planting refer to Planting guidance booklet
The Lawn section provides a green alternative for Jewish and non-Jewish burials, with graves being marked by a simple upright stone.
Woodland burials meet all the halachic requirements for a Jewish burial and also help us to perform the mitzvah of Bal Tashchit . By developing a series of laws designed to improve the environmental quality of life, we are beginning to turn the negative meaning of this mitzvah: ‘you shall not destroy’, into the positive command ‘you shall maintain’. – Rabbi Paul Freedman
Non Jewish Partners
For the first time, JJBS can arrange to bury Jewish people with their non-Jewish partners in line with the fundamental progressive Jewish value of inclusiveness. These burials take place in double-depth graves in either the woodland or lawn sections of the Cemetery.
Cremation
We usually arrange for the service of cremation to be at Golders Green Crematorium at Hoop Lane.
The remains may then be transferred to the Woodland Cemetery which has a columbarium built in a separate landscaped area where cremated remains may be interred with a memorial plaque.
The Western Cemetery
JJBS can also organise a conventional grave with headstone in the Western Cemetery where the JJBS has burial rights. This primarily serves the London synagogues; in the rest of the country synagogues use dedicated Jewish areas in municipal cemeteries.
We have a large dedicated area in this cemetery, which is run by the Western Foundation under Orthodox Jewish guidelines. There are two prayer halls. One holds 60 and the other up to 200 mourners, there is a Cohen room for the large prayer hall. Each grave has an upright headstone. There is a small Memorial garden adjacent to the Western, which may be visited during opening hours. This is also run by the JJBS.
Directions
From the A406 at Great Cambridge roundabout go north up A10 towards Hertford, at last junction before M25 turn left – Bulls moor lane and follow instructions below.
The Woodland and Western cemeteries are accessed from south of Junction 25 of the M25
From the M25 exit Junction 25 and take A10 South in direction of Central London, note almost immediately turn right at traffic lights into Bulls moor Lane (past Capel Manor). At the mini-roundabout turn right into Bulls Cross and follow for about 50 yards bending sharp left onto Whitewebbs Lane. Turn first right into Bulls Cross Ride and follow road over M25 to the entrance, which is approximately 150 yards on left. Turn sharp left for the Woodland Cemetery.
From the south use A10 for approx. 4 miles north of the junction with the North Circular Road. At the traffic lights signposted Crews Hill turn left into Bulls moor Lane (and follow above directions.
Click here for planting guidance booklet
Woodland Cemetery
Bulls Cross Ride
Cheshunt
Waltham Cross
EN7 5PF
