Construction Starts on Midlands’ First Ancient Barrows Site

Construction has started at the Midlands’ first ancient barrows site, with the first man-made burial mound set to be complete by early August.

Work is well underway at A.W. Lymn’s first-ever family-owned Nottinghamshire cemetery and barrows site in George’s Lane, Calverton – known as Nottinghamshire Memorial Park, with phase one of the development already nearing completion.

The ancient burial ground is being developed in conjunction with Sacred Stones – a barrows design and construction business – and contains more than 800 niches for cremated remains to be placed within. The site offers a unique and meaningful way to commemorate those who have died and is one of a growing number of ways the award-winning funeral directors is expanding its offering for those in the region.

The funeral directors is now also welcoming enquiries from individuals interested in purchasing a niche, and has already sold several to those looking for an alternative to scattering ashes, or placing them in an urn to be kept at home.

Managing Director and fifth generation at A.W. Lymn, Matthew Lymn Rose, said: “It’s a really pivotal moment for our family business as we see our vision coming to fruition for one of our most ambitious projects to date at our site in George’s Lane.

“Barrows are arguably the most historic and community-inspired way to mark a life lived, to signify a place of peace and reflection where people can come together and reflect. There is something quite moving and certainly calming about seeing these prehistoric-inspired mounds be recreated at our first cemetery and we think the public feels the same, as we’ve already had a lot of enquiries from people interested in finding out more.

“In recent weeks, kerbs and road infrastructure are also starting to be constructed and we are truly beginning to see the size, scale and beauty of the site take shape. We are making great progress and are excited to bring this unique option to people in the Midlands and beyond.

“Funeral preferences are changing, and we’re continuing to be at the forefront of this by ensuring we can offer as many options as possible to the communities we serve. Our barrows site is set within the tranquil grounds of our new Nottinghamshire Memorial Park, and is an opportunity for the bereaved, or those planning their end-of-life options, to adopt a timeless final place of rest for ashes.”

The award-winning funeral directors, which has funeral homes across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and north Leicestershire, has now completed a large amount of groundwork, with its first barrow set to be completed ahead of its public Open Day on August 1. Progress is also being made on the second and third barrow, with concrete footings now poured for the second  man made burial mound.

Across the wider site, further landscaping underway to level out the cemetery as much as possible and maximise burial areas.

Andy Johnson, Memorial Parks Manager at A.W. Lymn, added: “The barrows development forms just one part of our carefully planned, sustainable and diverse memorial park, which has been curated to best meet the needs and wishes of the communities we serve. The barrows alone is a significant undertaking, but the broader offering of cemetery and barrows is monumental for our company and for the region. With grave space in decline and people valuing choice as paramount when coming to make these very important decisions, we knew that investing in a site that could help solve both of these challenges locally was both a duty and a calling for A.W. Lymn.”

A.W. Lymn was first granted planning permission for a cemetery at the George’s Lane site in August 2022. It’s ongoing commitment to providing local communities with choice allowed the funeral directors to consider the other ways the site can be used.

In late 2023, a planning application was then resubmitted to erect one closed and two open barrows on the site, which was approved in March 2024. The barrows will form part of a 27-acre cemetery owned by A. Lymn and its memorial parks brand, bringing together its purpose-built crematoria, cemeteries and memorial landscapes across the Midlands under one trusted name.

A.W. Lymn was established in Nottingham in 1907 and has grown to become one of the UK’s largest independent funeral directors, operating 27 branches across the region. Having recently acquired M.A. Mills and expanded into Leicestershire and Staffordshire, it continues to grow its reach and network of talented funeral directors supporting people in their time of utmost need. It provides every funeral option available in the UK, from direct cremation to traditional, large funerals across all religions, faith and non-faith settings.