The Church of England dominated the provision of space for burial until the early 19th Century. Dissatisfaction with the control of the Church over the provision and with conditions in often overcrowded, unhygienic Churchyards provoked calls for change in the first half of the 19th Century.

From the 1820's private sector Cemetery companies began to be established. These used the sale of shares to finance the laying of the new - often extensive and attractively landscaped - sites on the periphery of towns.

By the 1850's, in many places the Church had lost its virtual monopoly on burial provision. Victorian legislation regarding burial was prolific during the 1850's, and included Acts which permitted new Cemeteries to be established by local burial boards (early types of Local Authorities), with funds raised through local rates and private sector involvement in Cemetery establishment declined.

The first Crematorium was built in Woking and the first cremation took place on 26th March 1885. Cremation did not become popular until after the Second World War. However it was not until the late 1960's that Cremation became the principle means of disposal of human remains. Currently around 70% of deaths in this country are followed by Cremation.

Many of the original Acts passed in the 1850's have since been superseded. Examples of the many pieces of legislation governing the burial/cremation of the dead are as follows: -

• Cremation Acts 1902 and 1952
• Local Government Act 1972
• Cremation Regulations 1930
• Local Authority Cemeteries Order 1977

A most recent piece of Legislation, the Environmental Protection Act 1990, requires Crematoria not to exceed stringent limits on emissions into the atmosphere.

Contact us for all cemetery and crematoria information

Bereavement Services
Willenhall Lawn Cemetery
Bentley Lane
Willenhall
WV12 4AE

Telephone 0845 111 2848
Email bereavementservices@walsall.gov.uk

This page was last updated on 26 January 2012