Find cemeteries and crematoriums around the borough
There are several cemeteries and crematoriums around the borough.
Search for cemeteries and crematoriums
Opening times
The cemetery grounds and the memorial gardens are open every day:
- January: 9am - 4.30pm
- February: 9am - 5.30pm
- March and April: 9am - 6.30pm
- May-August: 9am - 7.30pm
- September: 9am - 6.30pm
- October: 9am - 5.30pm
- November and December: 9am - 4.30pm
Times of our cremation services
Our cremation services are held Monday-Friday between 10am-3pm. Weekend services are not available.
Services are usually scheduled every 40 minutes but you're able to book a double slot if you'd like a longer service.
The 40 minutes give 10 minutes for mourners to arrive, 20 minutes for the service and then 10 minutes for mourners to leave.
Charges for cremation services
These are the charges for cremation services at Rochdale Crematorium and Middleton Crematorium.
- Standard cremation: £823. This price includes the cremation fee, 20-minute service with mourners attending, medical referee, environmental fee, music, ashes container and use of the chapel.
- Cremation only with no mourners attending: £495. This price does not include any chapel music or live online stream.
- Additional 20-minute service: £118
- Live online stream: £34
- Live stream you can download for up to 28 days: £51
- A keepsake of the service on CD, DVD or USB stick: £57 for the first one, £26 for each additional copy
- Attended ashes scattering: £31
Booking a cremation
If you're looking to have a cremation at one of our crematoriums, your funeral director will need to request this on your behalf.
They can get in touch with us using the contact details on this page.
View The Books of Remembrance
The Books of Remembrance can be viewed at:
- Middleton (Boarshaw) cemetery and crematorium, Middleton
- Rochdale cemetery and crematorium, Rochdale
The Book of Remembrance room at Middleton (Boarshaw) Cemetery is open during the same hours as the cemetery grounds listed above.
The Book of Remembrance room at Rochdale Cemetery can be found at the newly refurbished West Lodge Memorial Hall and Gardens and is open:
- Monday-Friday, 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm.
- Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays, 10am-2pm.
Add an entry to The Books of Remembrance
You can apply to add an entry to the Permanent Book of Remembrance or a Miniature Book of Remembrance.
Scattering or burying ashes
When you book a cremation at our crematoriums, you'll be asked if the ashes are to be collected in a container or scattered. Scattering or burying ashes is not included in the cost of a cremation.
Scatter or bury ashes in a public place: you must have the landowner's permission to scatter or bury ashes in a public place, such as in a park.
Scatter or bury ashes on private land: you don't need permission to scatter ashes on your own land - for example, in your garden. If you want to scatter ashes on someone else's land, you should get the landowner's permission.
Metal recycling scheme
Recycling metals from a loved one following their cremation is a sensitive subject and we only do so with the express consent of the next of kin.
Following a cremation, there can sometimes be pieces of metal left over, such as from a tooth filling, a steel hip replacement, pins used to repair a bone fracture or parts of the coffin.
It's possible to recycle these metals through a nationwide scheme run by the Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management.
We donate all the proceeds from the scheme to local charities that provide services and support for bereaved residents.
Grants for charities offering bereavement services
If you're a local charity that offers bereavement services to borough residents, you can apply to receive a donation from the money we've generated by recycling metals after a cremation.
- Please email environmental.management@rochdale.gov.uk to ask for an application.
Finding a grave in our cemeteries
If you'd like to find the location of a loved one's grave, you can access the burial records.
Burial records give the date and place someone was buried. The records can also sometimes include the grave number and a map showing the location of the grave in the cemetery.