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Crematorium

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Address

Darlington Crematorium
Carmel Road North
Darlington
DL3 8RY

In 1901 Darlington became the fifth crematorium to operate in the Country. Manual and electronic records are held from the first cremation to the present day.
 
The 1960’s building in the centre of the Cemetery, which used to house the Crematory and Chapel, has recently undergone a full refurbishment. From July 2022 the Cemetery and Crematorium Office, Books of Remembrance and Crematory will be at this building.
 
Further into the Cemetery grounds stands the newly constructed Darlington Crematorium Chapel which hosts all cremation services. Services began here on 24 April 2023 and the building offers a waiting room, accessible toilets and a large chapel to seat over 140 visitors. Options to play and show tributes and the choice to close curtains or voile at committal all add to the experience of families making their funeral service more unique.
 
A fully lit and accessible car park is available for mourners to park close to the chapel area with spaces for 65 cars.
 
The grounds incorporate two gardens of remembrance. The old garden is located at the rear of the Cemetery Office building. The new garden is located opposite the cemetery car park first third of the West Cemetery site.

 

Cruse - bereavement support website  [external link]

Opening hours

Cremations are conducted:

Monday – Friday: 9:00am – 3:00pm

Cremation bookings can be made by an appointed funeral director/organiser and are taken every hour. The service is recommended to last for 20-25 minutes to allow enough time for access and egress from the chapel. Extended times are available upon request.

Arranging a cremation

Following the death of a relative or friend, most people call on the assistance of a funeral director who will carry out all funeral arrangements on their behalf.

Local funeral directors will be familiar with all the services offered at the crematorium and will advise accordingly.

It is possible to make your own funeral arrangements and we will be happy to receive any requests for information and can assist in providing further advice in this respect.

The funeral service

The funeral cars will arrive and park under the port cochere at the front entrance of the Crematorium Chapel. It is usual for the coffin to be carried ahead of the mourners and placed on the catafalque at the front of the chapel, whilst mourners take their seats. Facilities are available for your chosen music to be downloaded to be played on entry, exit and to form part of the service. There are also large tribute screens where images can be displayed. Requests for both should be given to your funeral director or arranger.
 
Following the committal service, there is an opportunity for curtain or voile to close round the coffin. Families can also choose to leave the coffin on view as they exit the chapel at the rear doors.
 
Floral tributes will be on display at the exit area of the grounds to allow families to view before returning to the vehicles.
 
Following the service, the coffin will be removed from the catafalque and transported to the crematory. It will then placed into the cremator chamber shortly after the service has taken place, exactly as it was received in the chapel.
 
Each coffin is cremated separately on the day of the service. The cremated remains are kept separate and properly identified throughout the process.

Floral tributes

Flowers from each day’s funerals are left on the floral terrace for at least one week following the cremation service. They are removed each Friday the week following the day of the service.
 
Arrangements can be made for them to be removed to go to nursing homes or placed on a family grave. This is something to discuss with the funeral director/arranger.

Accessibility

The Crematorium Chapel has its own car park next to the building with 7 spaces for those with a disability. The building, waiting room and toilets are all accessible. There is a loop system installed in the chapel for those who require this service.

Cremated remains

Gardens of remembrance

Generally cremated remains are scattered in the new garden of remembrance.  If you let us know in advance, it is possible for family to be present, but it is normal practice for the staff to carry out this procedure a few days following the cremation.

If a cremation took place elsewhere, remains can be scattered at Darlington. An appointment is required and the office should be contacted for advice.

The old garden of remembrance can still accept cremated remains, which people often request if they wish to ensure the remains are scattered with other family members who died a number of years ago.

Removed from the crematorium

Cremated remains can be removed from the crematorium. All remains, which leave, are signed for by either a funeral director or family member and a cremation certificate is produced to accompany them.

It is normal practice to place remains in a cardboard ash box, however stocks of baby, postal, metal and wooden urns are held at the crematorium.

If families require remains to be interred at Darlington, the only option currently available to them is to have them buried in either a new or existing grave site in one of Darlington’s cemeteries. There is no facility to inter remains within the gardens of remembrance.

Memorial schemes

Information on crematorium memorial schemes are automatically sent to the applicant of a cremation provided they have given permission, the week following the service. This pack includes all relevant information leaflets, application forms and price lists.  Assistance in completion of forms or further advices is available at the crematorium office.

Kerb vases

From 1990 to 2000, memorial kerb vases were sold to families to provide an inscribed memorial to remember their loved one. These white marble vases can be found in both the old and new gardens of remembrance, but are no longer available for sale. 

It is possible to replace existing plaques on vases to incorporate different or a number of names. Information and costs are available from the crematorium office.

Other memorial schemes

Over the years we have offered families the opportunity of donating memorial seats, shrubs and trees.

There is no longer space for seats or trees, but we continue to accept donations such as shrubs and rose bushes.

New schemes are introduced where appropriate and if you have requests for new memorial schemes, we are very happy to discuss them. 

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