Every family has different wishes, and there is more than one way to arrange a funeral.
Our Borough Green team can explain the choices, answer your questions and help you arrange a burial, cremation or memorial that reflects the person who has died.
Call us on 01732 780600 at any time if someone has died or you need immediate guidance.
“A huge thank you to Sharon, Simon and the whole team. Everyone was thoughtful, helpful, kind and supportive, guiding us through ideas and options at these difficult times. They could not have done more for us prior and the day. We are very grateful and thank you again.”
– Valerie Richardson
Call our Borough Green team
If someone has died, call us directly on 01732 780600
Call us directly on 01732 780600. Our emergency response team is available 24/7. Click to call us now
If someone has died, fill in our simple form and we’ll call you back within an hour
If you have a non-urgent question about a funeral, send us a message and we will reply within 24 hours
Funeral services in Borough Green can include burial, cremation, a traditional ceremony, a simpler unattended funeral or something less formal.
You do not need to decide everything before contacting us.
Our funeral arrangers will ask about the person who has died and what matters to your family. We can then explain which services are suitable, what each option includes and which decisions can wait.
Some families already know the type of funeral they want. Others begin with little more than a name, a few family wishes and a sense that a traditional service would not feel right.
Both are normal starting points.
Welham Jones is an independent, family-run funeral director. Our Borough Green branch serves families in the village and surrounding communities, including Wrotham, Ightham, Shipbourne, Stansted, Meopham, Fawkham Green, St Mary’s Platt and Longfield.
Our Borough Green team can arrange cremations, burials, traditional funerals, direct cremations, graveside services and celebrations of life.
The available choices may include:
The choices available will depend on the venue, timing, cemetery or crematorium rules and any religious or cultural requirements.
We will explain these points before arrangements are confirmed.
Arranging a funeral usually begins with a telephone call to the local branch.
Call 01732 780600 and tell us what has happened. We will ask a few practical questions and explain what needs to happen next.
A funeral arrangement meeting can then be held at our funeral home on Western Road or through another agreed arrangement.
During the meeting, we can discuss:
You can bring another family member or friend to the meeting. Notes, photographs, music ideas and details of an existing family grave may also be useful.
There is no requirement to settle every detail in one conversation.
Learn more about our Borough Green funeral arrangement service here.
A cremation service may include a ceremony at a crematorium, a service somewhere else before the cremation, or no attended ceremony at all.
Families using the Borough Green branch may consider local crematoria such as Vinters Park Crematorium in Maidstone or Medway Crematorium at Blue Bell Hill. Availability, service times and current fees must be checked when arrangements are made.
A cremation funeral may include:
The cremation itself is only one part of the arrangement. The ceremony can still be traditional, simple or highly personal.
Direct cremation is an unattended cremation without a funeral ceremony at the crematorium.
It may suit someone who wanted a simple funeral, a family who prefers to hold a memorial later, or those who do not feel an attended service is right.
The person who has died is taken into care and the necessary paperwork is completed. The cremation then takes place without mourners present.
Families may choose to:
Direct cremation should not be presented as the automatic “cheap option”. Families need clear information about what is and is not included, along with any additional costs.
A traditional funeral usually includes a formal ceremony, a coffin, a hearse and an attended service.
The ceremony may take place at:
Traditional does not mean every service must be identical.
The family can still choose the music, readings, flowers, route, order of service and who takes part. Religious customs and family traditions can also be included.
The Borough Green team can coordinate the venue, officiant, vehicles, bearers and other suppliers. We will also explain timings and any rules set by the church, cemetery or crematorium.
Find out more about our Borough Green traditional funeral services here.
A graveside service takes place beside the grave rather than in a church or crematorium chapel.
Some families choose a graveside ceremony because it feels direct and private. Others use it alongside a church service or another gathering.
The service may include:
The cemetery or churchyard may have rules covering timings, vehicles, grave preparation and what can be placed on the grave.
Weather, ground conditions and accessibility should also be considered, particularly for older or less mobile mourners.
To discover more about out Borough Green immediate burial services as well as other graveside services, click the links.
A celebration of life focuses on the person’s character, relationships, memories and interests.
It can be held as the funeral ceremony itself or as a separate event after a cremation or burial.
There is no required format. A celebration may include:
A celebration of life can still include quiet moments, prayers or a committal. It does not need to be cheerful throughout or avoid grief.
The right tone is the one that reflects the person being remembered.
A burial may take place in a cemetery, churchyard, natural burial ground or an existing family grave.
Before the burial can be arranged, the team may need to confirm:
The current Borough Green branch content refers to Wrotham Extension Cemetery and work on existing family graves there. Any cemetery rules, fees and grave availability must be confirmed directly with the responsible authority.
You can learn more about our Borough Green burial services here.
Embalming is a form of specialist care that may help preserve the appearance of the person who has died.
It is not required for every funeral.
A funeral arranger may discuss embalming when:
The decision should be explained clearly and handled with consent. Where embalming is not suitable or necessary, other forms of care may be recommended.
Repatriation means bringing someone who has died into the UK or returning them to another country.
The process may involve:
Requirements differ between countries. The Borough Green team can explain which details are needed and coordinate the funeral arrangements within the UK.
A greener funeral can involve reducing materials, transport or other parts of the service that have an environmental impact.
Choices may include:
Not every option is accepted by every cemetery or crematorium.
The team will need to confirm venue rules and current supplier availability before making promises.
Funeral transport may include a hearse, limousines and other vehicles suited to the family’s needs.
Questions to consider include:
The current Borough Green location page says its limousine service can seat up to eight people and that a smaller black car may also be available. Vehicle availability and capacity should be confirmed before this information is repeated on the hub.
Families can choose from a range of coffins and caskets in different materials, finishes and prices.
Possible options may include:
Size, construction and venue requirements can affect which options are suitable.
The funeral arranger can show you the available range and explain the price before an order is placed.
Funeral flowers may be simple or elaborate.
Families might choose:
Some families ask for donations to charity instead of flowers. Others choose family flowers for the coffin while inviting guests to donate.
Welham Jones can discuss the options and coordinate with a florist where required.
Memorial choices are usually made after the funeral rather than during the first arrangement meeting.
They may include:
Cemeteries and churchyards apply their own rules to size, stone, wording and design.
Families may also need to wait for the ground to settle before a permanent headstone is installed.
The current Borough Green page states that Welham Jones can help with headstones, inscriptions, renovation and cleaning work, including work connected with graves at Wrotham Extension Cemetery.
Welham Jones can coordinate the practical parts of the funeral once the family has agreed what it wants.
This may include:
Some costs are paid to other organisations. These are often called disbursements or third-party fees.
We will explain the known costs before the funeral is confirmed and tell you where a fee may change
The Borough Green branch supports families across the village and surrounding areas.
These include:
The wider Borough Green community content also identifies places such as New Ash Green, West Malling, Kings Hill, Offham, West Peckham, Snodland and Aylesford within the branch’s broader service area.
Local knowledge can help when planning:
For branch facilities, team information and directions, visit our main Borough Green funeral directors page.
Address:
43 Western Road, Borough Green, Sevenoaks, TN15 8AL
Telephone: 01732 780600
Email: boroughgreen@welhamjones.co.uk
Opening Hours
Monday: 9am to 5pm
Tuesday: 9am to 5pm
Wednesday: 9am to 5pm
Thursday: 9am to 5pm
Friday: 9am to 5pm
Saturday: By appointment only
Sunday: By appointment only
Weekend appointments for making arrangements and visiting are available by request.
For community deaths outside those hours, we also provide a 24/7 response, 365 days of the year.
Welham Jones can arrange cremations, burials, direct cremations, traditional funerals, graveside services and celebrations of life. The team can also help with coffins, transport, flowers, music, printed materials, memorials and care of the person who has died.
No. You can contact the Borough Green team before deciding between burial and cremation. We will explain the practical differences, likely costs and venue choices. Existing family graves, religious wishes and the person’s recorded preferences may help guide the decision.
Yes. A funeral can be religious, non-religious or include parts of both. A civil celebrant, humanist celebrant, family member or another suitable person may lead the ceremony. Availability and venue rules should be checked before arrangements are confirmed.
Yes, depending on the service and venue. A ceremony may take place at a graveside, cemetery chapel, natural burial ground or another suitable location. Some families also hold a separate celebration of life at a hotel, community venue, garden or other meaningful place.
The cost depends on the type of funeral and the choices made. Coffins, vehicles, venue fees, crematorium or cemetery charges, flowers and officiant fees can all affect the total. Welham Jones will provide its charges and explain known third-party costs before the funeral is confirmed.
Yes. The Borough Green office is normally open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, with weekend visits by appointment. Telephone assistance for community deaths is available 24 hours a day throughout the year.
