Tel: 07891 214564

Email: info@windmillnaturalgreenburial.co.uk

Welcome to The Windmills

Name: The Windmills Green Burial
Address: GB
Telephone: 07891214564

Natural Green Burial

The Windmills Natural Green Burial is situated in Northamptonshire’s beautiful open countryside. Providing a haven of peace and tranquillity, glades of native trees offer a rich habitat for birds and other wildlife and enhance the surrounding countryside.

Woodland burial is a practice that has gone on for centuries and is today enjoying a revival. It allows us to choose where our ultimate resting place will be and the peace of mind that you will rest in scenic surroundings forever, connected to nature where family and friends can return and see the landscape grow with each passing year.

Discover The Windmills Natural Green Burial

With native tree species; including silver birch, hornbeam, maple, beech, wild cherry, holly, and whitebeam, this habitat will become rich in small mammal life such as voles and insects in the lush underplanted grasslands. There are clear paths cut though the grassland, allowing access to graves. Over time the trees will become more established and form a memorial woodland.

Our mission is to create a natural environment for local wildlife whilst providing a peaceful resting place for the deceased and to add comfort to their loved ones. Our site is simple and natural and we only use sustainable methods in maintaining it to encourage biodiversity.

A natural burial allows us to minimise our eventual impact on the environment by committing the body to rest in natural materials that will biodegrade and leave no harmful substances behind. We operate within the Codes of Conduct as required by membership of the Association of Natural Green Burial Ground (www.naturaldeath.org.uk)

Meet the team

Jo Painter - Owner and
Funeral Celebrant

Along with husband Neil, Jo founded The Windmills in 2020. Her compassion and understanding persona, teamed with 25 years experience in working with addictions, offenders and victims, has provided her with the skill set to support and assist those bereaved in arranging their loved ones burial/interment. Jo's role is to facilitate coffin & ash burials and to liaise with Funeral Directors to ensure the deceased and their families wishes are met. Jo trained as a Humanist Celebrant in 2021 and delivers bespoke ceremonies

Neil Painter - Owner and Groundsman

Neil is Jo's other half and joint Founder of The Windmills. He is often found measuring and preparing graves, planting tree's, mowing and the general upkeep of the site. But he is much more than that! He keeps Jo sane and is instrumental to the success of The Windmills. A background in construction with strong leadership skills he knows what will work and what won't!

Ron Painter - Groundsman

Ron is father/father-in-law and helps with the maintenance of the site, assisting with the dressing of/backfilling of graves, mowing & tree planting. He is on hand to talk through any questions people may have upon visiting.

A friendly face, he is always armed with a flask of coffee and sandwiches!

Esther Diane - Independent Funeral Celebrant

Trained at The Academy of Modern Celebrancy, Esther feels honoured to create personalised Celebrations of Life. Drawn to Windmills' tranquil ethos, her warmth and understanding nature ensure's every farewell is heartfelt and dignified. She goes above and beyond to honour each individual's unique legacy.

Kerry Painter - Humanist Funeral Celebrant

Having completed her training with Humanist UK at the end of 2021, Kerry writes and delivers beautiful heart-felt ceremonies here at The Windmills. She is a perfectionist and will go that extra mile to make sure she honours the life of those who have passed away and celebrate the life they lived

Gordon - Gravedigger

Gordon our gravedigger. With over 60 years experience in construction digger driving he is invaluable and the most reliable chap.

How to find us

Hartwell Road, Northampton NN7 2JT. The entrance is 150 yards from Ashton Lodge on the opposite side of the Hartwell Road
https://w3w.co/safe.huddled.morphing

About The Windmills Natural Green Burial

Approximately 1km to the south-east of Roade and 0.5km to the north-west of Hartwell this 5 acre site lies outside village confines.

Our vision is to draw on the characteristics of the surrounding area and beautiful countryside and to create a flourishing natural British woodland for people to enjoy now and in to the future. Plots are available in our newly developing woodland and we facilitate full coffin and ash internments. Graves can be demarcated with wooden memorial plaques or one of our native British memorial trees. Natural British wildflowers are permitted but NOT garden varieties. We welcome any and all communication before planting.

Our Memorial Trees

Trees planted at The Windmills Natural Green Burial Ground must be purchased from us. Please see below our list of native British trees. We work closely with our local nurseries and the Woodland Trust to ensure we source the highest quality trees and shrubs that will flourish and thrive in this environment. November through to March is an ideal time to prepare for the planting of new trees, shrubs and hedges.

Hornbeam

Hornbeam, a native large tree though probably only truly native in the South and East of England, is one of the last of the species to arrive from continental Europe. A tree with a maximum height of 25m (80ft) though often less, it is upright when young but eventually forms a rounded elongated head.

Mountain Ash (Rowan)

Mountain Ash (sorbus cashmiriana) has clusters of white flowers in late spring, followed by orange-red berries in autumn and yellow autumn leaf colours. Mountain Ash can be grown as a large, spreading shrub or small tree. The pink flowers are followed by white fruit in autumn.

Spindle

Spindle is industrious, delicate, colourful. The spindle is at its loveliest in autumn when its leaves turn russet and its pink and orange fruits ripen. Wildlife loves its leaves and fruit, and aphids flock to it, bringing with them an array of their predators. Mature it grows to 9m and can live for more than 100 years.

Holly

Festive, neat and prickly. Holly shelters birds and gives hedgehogs a cosy place to hibernate. Mature trees can grow up to 15m and live for 300 years. The bark is smooth and thin with lots of small brown warts, and the stems are dark brown. Holly is dioecious, meaning that the male and female flowers occur on different trees. Flowers are white with four petals. They bloom any time between early spring and the very beginning of summer, depending on climate. Once pollinated by insects, female flowers develop into scarlet berries which can remain on the tree throughout the winter.

Maple

Maple is a pollution fighter, autumn stunner, syrup maker. Relatively small tree it has dark green, five-lobed leaves, which are smaller and have more rounded lobes than those of Sycamore. Its leaves turn a rich, golden-yellow in the autumn, but for the rest of the year it is quite inconspicuous. It produces large, winged seeds that are dispersed by the wind in the autumn. This is a sturdy broadleaf which supports caterpillars, aphids, and all their predators, all while resisting air pollution. Field maples can grow to 20m and live for up to 350 years.

Silver Birch

Silver birch is a familiar, small, spindly tree with thin branches and papery bark. In spring, the male catkins (or 'lamb's tails') turn yellow and shed their pollen, which is carried by the wind to the short, green, female catkins that appear on the same tree. Silver birch has 'drooping' branches and triangular leaves, with jagged teeth that grow from hairless leaf stalks. The leaves of the similar Downy Birch grow from hairy stalks and are more rounded; it also has more upright branches.

Crab Apple

A symbol of fertility and a forager's delight. Crab apple trees are associated with love and marriage. Mature trees grow to around 10m in height and can live up to 100 years. With a greyish brown, flecked bark, trees can become quite gnarled and twisted, especially when exposed, and the twigs often develop spines. This crabbed appearance influenced its common name 'crab apple'.

Hawthorne

Names after the month in which it blooms and a sign that spring is turning to summer. The pale green leaves of this hedgerow staple are often the first to appear in spring, with an explosion of pretty pale-pink blossom in May.
It simply teems with wildlife from bugs
to birds. Mature trees can reach a height if 15m and are characterised by their dense, thorny habit.

Whitebeam

Whitebeam is a deciduous broadleaf tree that is compact and domed. Charming and domestic, the fruit is a favourite of birds. Mature trees can grow to a height of 15m. The bark and twigs are smooth and grey and the shoots are brick red in sunlight but greyish-green in shade. Whitebeam has oval, serrated-edged leaves that are softly hairy underneath and dark green and shiny on top.

Sweet Chestnut

Sweet Chestnut is a deciduous tree which can reach 35m when matured and live for up to 700 years. They belong to the same family as oaks and beeches. The bark is grey-purple and smooth, and develops vertical fissures with age. The twigs are purple-brown and buds are plum, red-brown and oval in shape.

Hazel

Hazel is a small, shrubby tree of woodlands and well known for its long, yellow catkins that appear in spring, and its green, ripening to brown, fruits (familiar to us as hazelnuts) that appear in late summer. These are a favourite
food for grey squirrels, dormice and wood mice.

Fees

(April 2023)

Burial
Single Burial - £1600
Includes Burial Interment & Administration
(Suitable for Memorial Tree Planting)

Infant & Children Burials
Burial & Interments are covered through The Children’s Funeral Fund for England. Please visit https://www.gov.uk/child-funeral-costs

Ashes
Single Ash Burial ‘Badger Area’ - £750
Includes Ash Interment & Administration
(Suitable for Shrub & Wildflower Planting)

Family Ash Area - £1500
Allocation of Single Burial Plot
Allows Multiple Ash interments (max of 2 interments where memorial tree is to be planted on plot). Price covers 2 Ash Interments.
Additional Interment fee's apply
*There is the option for an unattended burial or interment

ARKA Acorn Urn (fully biodegradable. four litre volume)
Variety of colours - £80
Dutch Gold Foil at £95

Collection of Ashes
Northampton - £50 Milton Keynes - £75

Memorial Trees
Selection of UK Native Memorial Trees £215

Humanist Ceremonies
Burial Ceremony - £250
Ash Ceremony - £100

Memorial Plaques / Posts
Bespoke Wooden Graveside Plaques - from £280
Bespoke Wooden Memorial Plaques (placed in Memorial Shelter) - from £220
Bespoke Natural Slate Plaques - from £350

To reserve a plot or for more details please email
Jo Painter at info@windmillnaturalgreenburial.co.uk

Evening & Weekend supplements apply.

We have included a charge of £20 which is paid into a ring-fenced fund, covering the long-term management and protection of the site once all the grave spaces are sold.

This maintenance fund will ensure that the site remains an accessible, safe and a pleasant place to visit, long into the future. This fund will be managed by the trustees and will cover maintenance, insurance and habitat management once the site is full.

Testimonials

Thank you so much for the beautiful service we had at The Windmills for Hollie. To say goodbye to a friend at 35 is not something you ever want to do, so to have to plan their funeral was a daunting task for all of us. Jo you made the process so much easier for us. By being always contactable, always listening to our thoughts and stories made it much smoother. Your tribute to Hollie was amazing and Hollie was given the send off she deserved. You added personal touches of checking we were all ok, acknowledging what a superwoman our friend was, sending us pictures of the grave with all the flowers on etc was all truly amazing. Thank you so much for acknowledging our feelings, her legacy and ensuring everything was perfect. Love Becky, Katie, Clare & Natalie x

Funeral Service for our Best Friend

Thank you for everything you have done for us and our dad during this shocking year! The level of customer care was fantastic! We had a lovely chat and you were more than willing to tweak a few issues. I saw The Windmills website pre Covid-19 and chose it as it was nearer to where we live, less established and a beautiful unspoilt location. We chose a natural green burial for dad as he wasn't religious and wanted something more natural. Jo & Neil were great, empathetic and knowledgeable people. Me and my family are looking forward to seeing the progression of the site with all the variety of trees and woodland.

Our Dads Funeral

My late mother was buried at The Windmills Natural Green Burial in August 2020. Owner Jo Painter looked after us and we had the opportunity to meet with her before the funeral. The level of customer care was excellent, the very best it could be. Clear, personal and caring. We did look at other burial grounds but decided on this one as it was professionally run, and organised. A beautiful spot which we felt was what our mother would have wanted. The Windmills is a lovely new site and we are sure it will thrive with the lovely care of the owners.

Funeral of our Late Mother

We chose The Windmills for the interment of my mums ashes. We found out about it after doing some online research and being recommended by another burial site. The site is local and more suitable to our needs and this type of setting was the wishes of my late mother. Owner Jo Painter looked after us and the customer care was excellent.

Interment of my Late Mothers Ashes

Jo has given me unlimited time to visit and discuss the plots we purchased. She interacted many times via phone/text and took the time to discuss my wifes burial. This high quality of care and detail resulted in a beautiful and serene day.

Beautiful resting place for my Wife

The owner was extremely caring and considerate and took a lot of time explaining things to us. The ambience is just what I was looking for for my husband - peaceful, quiet, buzzing with nature. Perfect for my husband who was a nature lover and conservationist.

My Husband John's interment

Get In Touch

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Natural Green Burial?

Many people have been looking for an environmental alternative to the overcrowded and polluting burial grounds and crematoria run by local authorities. That is exactly what we offer, a final resting place with scenic surroundings where you can connect to nature.

Can we be buried together?

We do not bury in double depth graves for environmental reasons. However if you wish to be buried next to your loved one you can reserve an adjacent grave. The cost to reserve a plot is £850 and the difference of what the plot is worth at the time of burial along with the interment fee is payable at time of occupation.

What type of coffin can be used?

As a truly natural burial ground we welcome biodegradable, non toxic coffins, shrouds (something made of hemp or wool) and caskets/urns for ashes. We accept: willow, wicker, wool, banana leaf and cardboard, alongside traditional solid wooden coffins (not chipboard) as long as they are made with wood taken from managed, accredited British forests. We do not permit non-degradable linings or plastic. So all handles, linings and pillows should be made from and stuffed with natural fibres. People can be buried with possessions; letters, jewellery, food and drink, horse shoes, tobacco etc but these must be made from natural materials. For shroud burials a suitable biodegradable board will be required to lower the body into the grave. A secure container may need to be provided to transport the deceased to the site.

How do I purchase a plot?

Plots are released in phases and you can choose between a number of plots at any given time. The purchase of a burial plot is for the right of burial in the plot only and does not confer ownership of the ground or any other rights. If you purchase a plot in advance you will be given a Right of Burial Certificate. This will show the type of plot chosen and its location, using co-ordinates generated using permanent markers, trig points, within the site. To book a plot contact site owner Jo Painter on 07891214564 or you can send a message via the 'get in touch' section on website.

Is The Windmills Natural Green Burial protected and can someone come and cut all the trees down for future developments in years to come?

We have incorporated a £20 charge into our interment fee's which will be paid into a ring-fenced fund, covering the long term management and protection of the site once all the grave spaces are sold. This maintenance fund will ensure that the site remains an accessible, safe and pleasant place to visit, long into the future. This fund will be managed by the trustees and will cover maintenance, insurance and habitat management once the site is full.

When do I need to make payment for a burial or ash interment?

Payment can be made at time of booking. All payments must be settled in full 2 days before the date of burial or ash interment. For information on payment of pre-plots please contact Jo Painter.

If the grave is not marked how will people find it?

We are very careful with recording graves. We use traditional mapping both on paper and digitally. People are NOT permitted to position their own grave markings, plaques or any onimental items . Bespoke wooden and natural slate memorial plaques are available and made to order through The Windmills and will be carefully positioned on the grave or within The Windmills Memorial Shelter. Wooden Plaques will naturally discolour, fade, and deteriorate over time so may require some care maintenance. The Windmills NGB reserve the rights to remove anything that has not been approved or is not in keeping with the site.

Is The Windmills wheelchair accessible?

Clear paths are regularly cut though the grassland allowing access to graves by foot, wheelchairs & mobility scooters. Depending on the time of year ceremonies take place, turf may be laid to make access over the site to the grave easier.

Does there have to be a Religious Service? Do you allow Humanist Funerals?

The choice of funeral, whether it is religious, secular or humanist is up to you? It is completely your choice.
The service or celebration is entirely up to the individual. People from a variety of backgrounds find that a
natural burial ground can be a peaceful and healing final resting place.

The Windmills Founder and Managing Director Jo Painter is an accredited Humanist UK Funeral Celebrant.
For more information on a non religious ceremony please contact Jo on 07891214564.

Do you provide a funeral service?

We do not provide a funeral director service. Most families employ a funeral director to assist them when faced with organising a funeral. Funeral directors co-ordinate the funeral and bring the deceased to the natural burial ground instead of going to a conventional cemetery or crematorium. The funeral can be as traditional or as modern as you like.

Are graves filled in straight after a burial or are they left until the next day?

The ‘ICCM Charter for the Bereaved choosing Natural Burial – Guiding Principles’ state that immediately after the mourners have departed the graveside, the grave shall be entirely backfilled and made tidy. This work is completed on the day of the burial and coffins are not left uncovered overnight. In advance of the burial, graves are prepared at least one full day before the funeral and are covered overnight.

Is there somewhere for people to park their car which is close to the site?

You can park your vehicle in our on-site car park. No vehicles, including bicycles, are allowed beyond the car park and onto the burial site. All vehicles, including contents, are left at the owner’s risk.

Can we plant bulbs & flowers on a grave? Can cut flowers be left on a grave?

The Windmills NGB is a natural burial ground which supports flourishing wildflower meadows and woodland. Although the planting of native British bulbs and wildflower is permitted, graves should not be individually marked in order to create a place of natural beauty throughout the site. The planting of flowers or shrubs is discouraged as it prevents the regeneration of our natural landscape. If you do wish to plant Natural British wildflowers please ensure that the plants you purchase are WILD FLOWER bulbs and plugs and NOT garden varieties. Examples of wildflower; Foxglove, wild primrose, dog violet, sweet woodruff, wild narcissus, cowslip, ladies smick (cuckoo flower), red campion, celandine, heartsease, speedwell, stitchworts, wild garlic, wood anemone, fumatory, english bluebells, herb robert. Nature scape is an approved nursery and one we highly recommend https://www.naturescape.co.uk.

As the graves settle a certain amount of top filling will take place, for this reason planting is not recommended until at least six months after burial. Further topping up of graves may be required over the years and the survival of any plants cannot be guaranteed. To enable the burial ground to evolve into natural wildflower meadow and woodland your help is critical in maintaining these guidelines. Please plant randomly avoiding the creation of gardens and the demarcation of plots. No mowing or strimming around individual graves is allowed. We welcome any and all communication before planting to clarify regulations. The Windmills NGB reserves the right to remove any plants judged not to be Native British Wildflowers.

Cut flowers can be laid on graves at the time of the burial. Any floral tributes containing oasis and plastic trays will be removed immediately as they pose a threat to wildlife and are not in keeping with our ethos of a natural burial ground. Large arrangements can be taken back to the post-funeral gathering or donated to a local hospital; please do not leave them in the burial ground. Artificial flowers are not permitted. Equally, toys, wood or similar, photographs, candles or any sort of solar light are not permitted to stay on the natural burial site. No decorative items are to be hung from trees or tree guards and will be removed.

Is there an area for children and infant burials?

We have an area dedicated entirely for infants and children. The Children’s Funeral Fund is a scheme which came into effect on 23rd July 2019. The fund can help to pay for some of the costs of a funeral for a still born baby over 24 weeks gestation to a child under 18 years of age. The fund works be reimbursing burial authorities, cremation authorities and funeral directors directly so the family won’t get a bill at all. The fund will also pay up to £300 towards a coffin. The fund is available to all regardless of the families income. There is no residency or nationality requirements. Those on qualifying benefits are also eligible to apply to the Funeral Expenses Payment Scheme (FEP) by the Department of Works and Pensions for additional support. Visit https://www.gov.uk/child-funeral-costs for more information.

What size are the memorial trees when you plant them?

All our memorial trees are young and bare rooted when planted. They are pulled by the growers once they are dormant (they have gone to sleep for the winter!) so most will have very few or no leaves at this stage. This doesn’t mean the tree has completely switched off. The leaf buds start to develop for next spring’s explosion almost the moment the leaves have been shed. This is the best stage to allow the tree roots to embed into the earth whilst it’s cold and the soil is moist. The tree will settle and have the best possible start which paves the way for continued growth over the coming years. There’s almost nothing the winter weather can throw at these young trees that would damage them. We use tree protectors to allow for extra protection from wind, rabbits, and any weeds and grass around the base of the tree which may compete for moisture and nutrients. Our trees are between 4 and 6 foot when planted. Where the tree is planted on top of a body burial, the atoms and compounds of the body will feed the tree roots which is what we mean when we refer to the 'cycle of life & nature'. Tree planting season is November through to March.