What to do

Chapel of rest

You are welcome to come and see your loved one at our chapel of rest. We ask please, that you make an appointment with us by phoning our office before coming. We can also arrange for viewings in another place e.g. church or arrange to bring your loved one home.

Our chapel of rest is located over-the-road from our office in the High Street close to St Bartholomew’s Church. It is a converted Cotswold stone cottage that we have added a solar roof that generates most of the chapel’s electricity.

We will normally follow the following procedure unless you specify otherwise:

• As you enter the chapel, the curtain is in the drawn position;
• When everyone is comfortably inside, the chapel the door will be closed;
• The curtain will be opened to reveal the coffin, covered with a pall (a cloth or sheet) and the coffin lid stood on end;
• The Funeral Director will slide the pall back to uncover approximately half of the coffin to reveal the face covered by a handkerchief sized cloth;
• This cloth is then removed.

This time is your own so you are free to spend it how you wish. The Funeral Director can help with advice if you are concerned about touching the deceased. A chair can be provided if you would like to sit and please let us know if you would like to spend some time alone in the chapel whereby the funeral director will leave and wait outside. You make take as long as you wish.

Some frequently asked questions:

Q. How many people can come to the chapel and how often?

Q. Can we provide clothes?

Q. Can we put things in the coffin?.

Q. What will they look like?

Q. Do you use makeup?

Q. Can I touch them?

Below is the usual layout of our chapel. We can accommodate many special requests; simply make them known to the Funeral Director in advance. For example: music, candles, etc.