Pay tribute to your loved one with a dedicated memorial bench in a York park, memorial daffodils planted along the Bar Walls, or a dedicated memorial tree planted in their honour.
Remembering your loved one in York
When a loved one dies and chooses to have their ashes scattered, their family and friends may want to designate a space in their memory to visit instead of a grave.
A memorial, such as a dedicated tree or bench, can be a meaningful way to remember your loved one. It can give you a spot to visit and think about your loved one in an area that was significant to them, such as the town where they grew up or their favourite spot in the park.
In York, there are a number of ways you can set up a memorial for your loved one, including their own bench in their honour at a York park, memorial flowers planted along the Bar Walls, or a memorial tree planted in their honour.
Find your funeral director in York who will help you arrange a cremation or burial, and give you ideas for a meaningful memorial.
Memorialisation is the process of preserving memories of the person who’s died
This could be displaying a memorial plaque, scattering their ashes in a special place or having a bench created in their memory.
Memorial Tree
A memorial tree is not only a beautiful tribute to your loved one, but is an environmentally friendly way to commemorate them. Making a donation towards planting a memorial tree helps offset CO2 production and protects York’s tree heritage.
York council can work with you to ensure your loved one’s memorial tree is planted in your preferred location. They will also help you decide what species of tree you would like planted.
The minimum donation you can make for a memorial tree is £200, but the exact cost will depend on the species of tree you choose.
Memorial trees are normally planted between December and March, and donations that are received from April to November will be used to plant trees during the following planting season.
You can have a direct cremation if you do not want a funeral service
A direct cremation is a cremation without a service. The crematorium will take the body of the person who’s died into their care, cremate them and then bring their ashes back to you. Some people find it gives them more flexibility and space to deal with their emotions, and they can choose to hold a separate memorial service at a later date.
Memorial Flowers
Springtime in York is marked by the beautiful display of daffodils on the Bar Walls and in parks. You can donate to the council to have a daffodil planted in memory of your loved one, and you can choose which part of the wall, or which park you would like the daffodil to be planted, subject to the agreement of the Public Realm Operations Manager.
A minimum donation of £35 will go towards 250 bulbs, and planting season takes place between October and November. Much like memorial trees, requests for donations made in mid-September will carry through to the following year’s buying and planting season.
Memorial Bench
A memorial bench can be placed in a park of your choice, so you can select a park that had special meaning to your loved one and that holds fond memories. The parks you can select include Rowntree Park, Glen Gardens, Clarence Gardens, Hull Road Park, and West Bank Park, or you can choose Rawcliffe Lake or York Riverside.
Glen Gardens has been awarded a Green Flag award every year since 2005, and regular buses travel to Glen Road. The Foss Islands cycle route also crosses Hawthorn Grove just west of the park, and the nearest council car park is East Parade, which is about a 2-minute walk away.
Meanwhile, Clarence Gardens is another City of York Council Park and is also managed by the Clarence Gardens Bowling Association. Clarence Gardens is a Green Flag Award winner and is surrounded by mature trees. It is a small, traditional green area in an otherwise urban setting. There is easy access to the park with level pathways, but cycling is not allowed. There are regular buses running from the city centre, but there are no council car parks nearby. However, there is a private pay and display car park next to Clarence Gardens.
Rawcliffe Lake is located on a 7-acre site and was constructed in the 1980s as part of redevelopment in the Clifton Moor area. The grassy slopes are excellent for picnics, and the site is made even more attractive by the old hedgerow and ornamental shrubs. You can access the lake via bus on the number 6 Park and Ride service that takes you from the centre of York to Oakdale Road. There are no council car parks nearby, but there is on-street parking available in the nearby streets.
No matter where you choose to place your loved one’s memorial bench, they are sturdy, easy to maintain, and are designed to blend in with their chosen location.
The minimum donation for a bench is £675, with the exact price confirmed upon application. The cost covers a brass plaque engraved with brief details regarding the donation and your loved one.
However, when donating to Rowntree Park, the minimum donation increases to £1200. This cost covers the made-to-order bench and delivery to York, as any new benches must conform to the existing benches in Rowntree Park. You can also purchase a brass plaque to be placed on an existing bench. The price for this is £75, and this covers the engraving and installation of the plaque.
Arrange a direct cremation with Farewill
We can help you organise a cremation service that's right for you. We'll help transport your loved one, handle all the paperwork and hand-deliver your loved one’s ashes to you.
Or call us on 020 3695 2090
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