We are responsible for managing 43 cemeteries and churchyards, including a number of Edinburgh's historic burial grounds
Arrange a burial
When arranging a full coffin burial, it is likely that you will appoint a funeral director to carry out your wishes. Burial can take place within a new grave or in a family plot if the grave is deep enough.
Even when a grave has no further depth for full coffin burial, up to six caskets of ashes can be buried. Ashes should not be scattered on a grave.
Arrange a burial of ashes within our cemeteries either with Mortonhall Crematorium or with a funeral director.
Cemeteries where new graves are available
- Corstorphine Hill - full burial and cremated remains plots
- Craigmillar Castle Park - full burial plots, Catholic burial plots, Muslim burial plots, baby graves, cremated remains plots and green burial plots
- Kirkliston - full burial plots only
- Liberton - cremated remains plots only
- Morningside - full burial and cremated remain plots
- Portobello - full burial and cremated remain plots
- Ratho - full burial plots only
- Saughton - full burial and cremated remains plots
- South Queensferry - full burial plots only
Virtual tours of our cemeteries
Have a virtual tour by using the links below.
- Greyfriars -
- Vennel Kirkyard, South Queensferry -
Headstones and memorials in cemeteries
You do not have to mark a grave with a headstone or other form of marker. This is a matter of choice for the next of kin or executor.
If you do want to mark a grave with a headstone, this can be done at any time. There is no need to wait a period of time for the ground to settle.
Any memorial erected on a grave must be constructed and erected by a memorial mason approved to work in our cemeteries. Email Bereavement Services for a list of registered masons. from Mortonhall Crematorium.
Memorials must be made from natural stone and should not contain
- wood
- plastic
- glass.
The grave owner or their executor is responsible for any headstone or marker placed at a grave and its upkeep.
Charges
Help with the costs of a funeral
Removing charges for child burial and cremation
Funeral directors and memorial masons, please note that there are changes to the Council's pricing structure following the recent Scottish Government and Cosla agreement.
Parking
Park carefully on the tarmac road, leaving room for vehicles to pass without having to drive on the grass. The majority of the grassed areas within our cemeteries are graves. It is very upsetting for the families to see tyre marks where cars have been parked on or driven across graves.
Leave access for the hearse when you are attending a funeral at the grave side.
What happens after cremation
Garden of remembrance
If the next of kin have asked that the ashes be dispersed at Mortonhall, they will be buried in our garden of remembrance. This is a large lawn area. No form of marker is allowed on the garden.
We can bury ashes within the garden if a cremation has taken place elsewhere. Your funeral director can arrange this for you or you can .
