Torrisholme Cemetery
Torrisholme Cemetery
Location: Westgate, Morecambe, LA3 3LN
Torrisholme Cemetery, a Green Flag Award winner, opened in 1906 and is one of seven cemeteries operated by Lancaster City Council.
The Green Flag Award is a prestigious accolade presented to quality green spaces, both nationally and internationally, that uphold high standards for the management of the entire site.
The total area of the cemetery is 14½ acres, containing areas of consecrated and non-consecrated burial ground.
The site is located approximately 2.8km southeast of Morecambe town centre, is halfway between the town and Lancaster city centre, and is surrounded by residential properties.
Many types of grave and garden of remembrance plots are currently available to reserve, and it is a working cemetery.
Chapel
There is a non-denominational chapel on site, which is available to all religions, sects and beliefs to hold funeral and memorial services.
Built in 1906, our chapel building has been vital to not only our funeral services, but also serving as a community space.
Gardens of remembrance
There are currently three gardens of remembrance on the site:
The first Garden of Remembrance located to the left of the main entrance opened in 1991 to provide a memorial garden and to inter cremated remains. All plots are reserved or in use, and therefore it was necessary to create a new area.
Compass Garden of Remembrance. This Garden opened in 2010 due to demand, and is located towards the back right boundary to the site, near the wildflower meadow. It was originally designed with bedding in the shape of a compass at the centre. In 2022, additional plots were added to the centre of the garden, in a circle surrounding a new memorial tower.
This area is a popular and peaceful spot for interment, memorialisation and quiet reflection.
Plots are available here to reserve or for immediate interment. Each plot within our Garden of Remembrance is intended for the interment of up to two sets of cremated remains, which are interred in the ground directly behind the granite memorial plaque. There is also a flower vase in place to accommodate floral tributes or small mementoes.
Vault Section. This area is located to the left hand boundary of the cemetery. It is a small memorial garden containing above ground sealed vaults for the interment of cremated remains. This provides an alterntive for those not wishing for remains to be placed undergorund.
Plots are available here to reserve or for immediate interment. Each plot within our Garden of Remembrance is intended for the interment of up to two sets of cremated remains, which are interred above the ground in a sealed vault behind the granite memorial plaque. There is also a flower vase in place to accommodate floral tributes or small mementoes.
War graves
The cemeteries office is proud to manage a war graves section within the site, which was established to commemorate the 1939-45 World War II casualties, and is beautifully maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Twenty Casualties from the 1914-18 World War I are buried in separate locations within the cemetery.
Cinematograph Trade Benevolent Fund
An area was established by the trustees of the Cinematograph Trade Benevolent Fund (the film and television charity) in 1951, to provide burial and memorial space for those in the industry. An information board is also in place, providing details on the local heritage.
Neptune memorial garden
Located at the back boundary, this area was designed to provide families with a quiet, peaceful area in which to honour the memory of lost babies and children.
Woodland burial area
Established in 1996, our woodland burial area was designed to offer many benefits to wildlife, whilst also introducing greater choice for the bereaved. The woodland graves offer a 'return to nature' for those who wish to be buried amongst trees, birds, mammals and wild flowers, without a traditional memorial.
Torrisholme cemetery friends group
The Friends of Torrisholme Group volunteer to carry out a wide variety of tasks to assist the Cemeteries Office, including gardening, litter and leaf collecting, holding community memorial services, and fundraising.
For further details please contact the Cemeteries Office on 01524 582635, or email cemeteries@lancaster.gov.uk.
A further list of volunteering opportunities can be found here: www.lancaster.gov.uk/volunteering
Control of Dogs
We permit access to the cemetery for those who wish to walk their dogs responsibly – dogs must be on a short lead at all times, and owners should immediately clear away any fouling. Signage to this effect is installed throughout the cemetery.
The cemetery is first and foremost a respectful burial ground, and not a designated dog walking area.
Lancaster City Council’s Dog Wardens will visit in response to reports of concern, but also carry out ad-hoc surveillance too. Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, it is an offence not to clean up after a dog has defecated on public land. A person may be issued with an £80 fixed penalty fine, if they do not clean up, or alternatively may be prosecuted through the magistrates court, where the maximum fine is £1000.
As a courtesy, we have installed a dog waste bag dispenser on site which is refilled regularly with dog waste bags by our team. This is intended for dog walkers who do not have a dog waste bag to hand. These bags can then be disposed of in any litter bin, of which there are numerous throughout the site or by taking home and placing in your grey wheelie bin.
We will continue to work with Lancaster City Council’s Dog Wardens to tackle any further issues.
If you are aware of offenders causing a particular problem in the cemetery, you can contact the dog warden service on: dogwardens@lancaster.gov.uk or 01524 582757, who will investigate and take appropriate action.
Management plan
Our Management Plan for the cemetery has been created to outline our aims and objectives for the site, whilst also documenting it's history and the work we have already achieved. You can view the plan below:
Cemetery locations
Last updated: 30 January 2024