Cemetery news and events
HERITAGE WEEKEND 2025
Lancaster Cemetery Walking Tours
For heritage week this year, The Friends of Lancaster Cemetery will be running three tours at the cemetery between the 20th and 21st September to celebrate the many stories of those buried in the cemetery.
Dates, times and booking links are below (note, spaces are limited). All are free and people are welcome to book on to more than one.
Spread the word, see you there!
Lancaster Cemetery War Graves - Walking Tour Sat 20th September 11:00 - 12:30 Book here: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/FFOR
Historical Women of Lancaster Cemetery - Sat 20th September 14:00 - 15:30 Book here: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/FFQV
Tour of Lancaster Cemetery with Roger Frankland - Sun 21st September 14:00 - 15:30 Book here: https://www.trybooking.com/uk/FFOS
Torrisholme Cemetery win Green Flag Award 2025
Lancaster City Council's Cemeteries Office has been awarded the coveted Green Flag Award for Torrisholme Cemetery as it is officially recognised as one of the country's best green spaces.
Torrisholme Cemetery in Morecambe raises prestigious Green Flag Award after achieving international quality mark for parks and green spaces
Today, Lancaster City Council Cemeteries Office is celebrating after receiving a Green Flag Award for Torrisholme Cemetery. The site is one of 2,250 in the UK to achieve the award, which is the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.
The news that the cemetery has met the standards required for the accreditation is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that care for the green space so that visitors and residents alike can enjoy it.
Green Flag Award Scheme Manager, Paul Todd MBE, said: “Congratulations to everyone involved in Torrisholme Cemetery who have worked tirelessly to ensure that it achieves the high standards required for the Green Flag Award. Quality parks and green spaces like Torrisholme Cemetery make the country a heathier place to live and work in, and a stronger place in which to invest. Crucially, the cemetery is a vital green space for communities in Morecambe to enjoy nature, and during the ongoing cost of living crisis it is a free and safe space for families to socialise. It also provides important opportunities for local people and visitors to reap the physical and mental health benefits of green space.”
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
The news that the Cemetery has achieved the accreditation - the international quality mark for parks and green spaces - is testament to the hard work and dedication of the team that care for the green space so that visitors and residents alike can enjoy it.
This is the sixth consecutive year that the Cemeteries Office have acheived this award. We realise how much quality green space is valued by residents and visitors, and this award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Torrisholme Cemetery. It is important to Lancaster City Council that all of our cemeteries provide bereaved families and visitors with beautiful burial grounds and a place of quiet reflection. Thanks to the dedication of our hard working staff, our cemetery has achieved the highest international standards demanded by the Green Flag Award.
The Green Flag Award scheme, managed by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of green spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.
If you would like to contribute to the success of our site, we are currently welcoming expressions of interest to our Friends of Torrisholme Cemetery group. Please email cemeteries@lancaster.gov.uk or telephone 01524 582635.
Lancaster Cemetery Tours
The Friends of Lancaster Cemetery conduct monthly tours of the site, taking place every third Sunday during April until September. The tour takes place from 2pm-4pm.
These tours are conducted with an experienced and knowledgeable tour guide and for many years have provided visitors with an interesting and informative experience as they are shown notable graves, architecture, and learn about local history and the lives of those buried in the cemetery.
If you would like to join a tour, please contact the Friends Group directly. You can visit their website: https://www.friendsoflancastercemetery.org/ or their Facebook page Friends of Lancaster Cemetery UK | Facebook
APSE Awards 2023
Lancaster City Council Cemeteries Office was recently shortlisted as a finalist in the “Best Performer” in the Cemetery Service category by APSE. APSE is the Association for Public Service Excellence, covering the UK, and to be nominated is a significant achievement. Unfortunately, we were not named winners, but we weren’t at all disappointed to lose out to worthy recipients Middlesborough Council. Congratulations to them!
This achievement would not have happened without the dedicated professionals within the Cemeteries Office, and this nomination is recognition of the service they provide.
Whilst we don’t actively strive to achieve awards and recognition, we do aim to provide a high level of service provision to all of our customers and will continue to do so.
Volunteer opportunities at Lancaster Cemetery
Friends of Lancaster Cemetery are a group of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers who work with the Cemeteries Office to improve the site. This includes general maintenance and gardening, but also larger scale projects such as creating features and holding appropriate events in collaboration with our office.
Opening in 1855, Lancaster Cemetery on Quernmore Road is a significant landmark of the district. The site has 3 historic Grade II Chapel buildings, and it is still a working cemetery.
There is significant green space, and therefore opportunities for gardening, fundraising, preserving our local heritage and creating a welcoming community space.
Volunteers of all abilities are welcome - no particular skills or experience are required.
To find out more, please visit their website: https://www.friendsoflancastercemetery.org/ or their Facebook page Friends of Lancaster Cemetery UK | Facebook
Registered Charity Number 1203617
Christmas Periods
The festive period can be particularly difficult for those grieving the loss of a loved one. The Cemeteries Office therefore remain open as much as possible during this time in order to assist families, answer queries, and arrange funerals within our 7 cemeteries.
The only adjustment will be that our office will close over the weekend and bank holidays in order to allow our staff a short break. However, no other days will be affected, nor any funerals.
Our Cemeteries remain open as usual for visitors - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Wishing all our visitors a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Volunteer opportunities at Torrisholme Cemetery
The Cemeteries Office are now in the process of establishing a Friends of Torrisholme Cemetery Group.
Opening in 1906, Torrisholme Cemetery on Westgate in Morecambe is a significant historic green space and is a current Green Flag Award Winning site. The site has numerous burial and interment options, our beautiful non consecrated chapel building, Wildflower Meadow and Woodland Burial Area.
We will work with the Group to create opportunities for gardening, fundraising, holding appropriate events, and creating a welcoming community space.
Volunteers of all abilities are welcome - no particular skills or experience are required.
Please contact the Cemeteries Office for more information: cemeteries@lancaster.gov.uk Telephone: 01524 582635
Bereavement Counselling
Experiencing the loss of a loved one at any time can be devastating. During the pandemic, you may find that it has been more difficult to cope as support of family and friends is not as readily available due to social distancing restrictions.
Lancashire based charity CancerCare are offering bereavement counselling free of charge to adults and secondary school children experiencing the loss of a loved one during the pandemic.
This service is available to anyone coping with loss, whatever the cause, across Lancashire and South Cumbria.For more information, please contact CancerCare:
- Telephone: 03330 150 628
- Email: CancerCareCan@cancercare.org.uk
- www.cancercare.org.uk/who-we-help/free-bereavement-counselling
Wildflower Meadow Sowing - Torrisholme Cemetery
Earlier today, the Cemeteries Office and the Friends of Torrisholme Cemetery have sown the wildflower meadow at the rear of the site.
This area neighbours the Neptune Memorial Garden, in a particularly peaceful and secluded area of the cemetery.
The seed used was mainly a wildflower mix of the following: Corncockle, Corn Chamomile, Cornflower, Corn Marigold, and Corn Poppy.
In addition, we also used a meadow mixture of: Yarrow, Common Knapweed, Wild Carrot, Lady's Bedstraw, Field Scabious, Rough Hawkbit, Oxeye Daisy, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Musk Mallow, Ribwort Plantain, Cowslip, Selfheal, Meadow Buttercup, and Yellow Rattle.
The wildflower should bloom by early summer, and it is intended that the meadow will have meandering pathways leading to a carved wooden bench (sourced from a felled tree from the district). The poppy bed shall also be enhanced and maintained by the Friends Group.
12/04/2019
Torrisholme Cemetery User Survey
As updates are planned for Torrisholme Cemetery in the future, we welcome feedback from anyone visiting the site. We have now created a Torrisholme Cemetery User Survey for those wishing to provide us with specific comments regarding the cemetery.
Feedback forms can be found here Torrisholme Cemetery User Survey (DOCX, 29KB), and returned to the Cemeteries Office either by email: cemeteries@lancaster.gov.uk or post: Cemeteries Office, Morecambe Town Hall, Marine Road, Morecambe, LA4 5AF
Last updated: 08 September 2025