Pagan and Wiccan Funerals in the UK: Planning a Nature-Based Ceremony

Paganism in the UK is a broad category encompassing Wicca, Druidry, Heathenry, Shamanism, and many other earth-centred spiritualities. What these traditions share is a connection to the natural world, the cycles of the seasons, and the understanding of death as a transition rather than an ending. Funerals in these traditions are therefore deeply personal, often joyful as well as sorrowful, and designed to honour the specific spiritual path of the individual who has died.

The Absence of a Standardised Rite

Unlike Christianity, Islam, or Judaism — traditions with established liturgies and recognised clergy — Paganism has no single church, no universal funeral rite, and no central authority. This is both a strength and a challenge when planning a funeral.

The strength is that the ceremony can be entirely tailored to the individual. The challenge is that there is no template to follow. Families must make active choices about what to include, and must find a celebrant whose tradition and approach resonates with the deceased’s own beliefs.

The starting point is always the same: what did the deceased actually believe? What tradition did they follow? Did they call themselves Wiccan, Druid, Heathen, or simply Pagan? Did they have a home tradition — a particular pantheon, a specific set of practices? If the deceased left written wishes (an ethical will, notes about their beliefs, or explicit funeral instructions), these are invaluable. If not, the family must draw on their knowledge of the person to guide the choices.

Common Elements in Pagan and Wiccan Ceremonies

While no two Pagan funerals are identical, certain elements appear frequently across traditions:

• Quarter calls: The calling of the four directions (East, South, West, North) and their associated elements (Air, Fire, Water, Earth) is a common ritual opening in Wiccan and many Neopagan traditions. The quarters may be called by different people, or by the celebrant alone.
• The Summerlands: In Wiccan and many Pagan traditions, the deceased is understood to have passed to the Summerlands — a place of rest and restoration between incarnations. The ceremony may include words of farewell and well-wishing for the journey to the Summerlands.
• Elemental symbolism: Candles (fire), incense (air), water (a bowl or the outdoors), and earth (soil, stones, or a tree) may all be incorporated into the ceremony.
• Personal invocations: The ceremony may call upon specific deities from the deceased’s tradition — the Goddess and the God in Wicca, the Aesir and Vanir in Heathenry, or the gods of a particular Celtic or other pantheon.
• Natural settings: Outdoor ceremonies in woodland, meadow, or garden are popular where the location permits. The sound of wind, birdsong, and the presence of nature are understood as part of the ceremony.
• Closing the circle: Where a ritual circle has been cast (as in Wicca), the ceremony typically closes by formally releasing the circle, thanking the quarters and any deities called.

Legal Requirements: What Is and Is Not Regulated

Families sometimes wonder whether Pagan ceremonies are subject to specific regulations. The position is straightforward:

• The ceremony itself is entirely unrestricted. You can say whatever you wish, invoke any deities, use any rituals — no law in England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland regulates the content of a funeral ceremony.
• The physical disposal of the body is regulated.Burial must take place in a licensed burial ground (a registered cemetery, churchyard, or natural burial ground), or in a private burial location with the appropriate consents and permissions (which can be obtained but requires planning). Cremation must take place at a licensed crematorium.
• Death must be registered. Regardless of the spiritual tradition, the death must be registered within five days in England and Wales (eight days in Scotland) and the appropriate authority’s permission obtained before burial or cremation.

Natural Burial Grounds: A Natural Fit

Natural burial grounds — where the body is buried without embalming, in a biodegradable coffin or shroud, and without a conventional headstone — are a popular and deeply appropriate choice for Pagan and Wiccan families.

The ethos of natural burial — returning the body to the earth, restoring habitat, and leaving a living memorial in the form of a tree or wildflower meadow — resonates strongly with Pagan values. Many natural burial ground operators are familiar with Pagan ceremonies and actively welcome them.

Points to consider when choosing a natural burial ground:

• Most natural burial grounds do not permit conventional headstones, but many allow wooden or stone markers, planted trees, or wild flower seeding.
• Ask whether they have experience of Pagan ceremonies and whether they are comfortable with quarter calls, elemental rituals, or outdoor ceremony elements.
• Consider whether the location is accessible for guests — some natural burial grounds are in rural areas that may be difficult to reach.
• The Natural Death Centre (naturaldeath.org.uk) maintains a directory of approved natural burial grounds across the UK and can advise on suitable sites.

Finding a Pagan Celebrant

A Pagan celebrant is someone trained and experienced in conducting ceremonies within a Pagan tradition. They are not clergy in the conventional sense — they do not represent a church — but they bring knowledge of their specific tradition and experience of funeral ceremonies.

The main routes to finding a Pagan celebrant in the UK:

• The Pagan Federation (paganfederation.org): The UK’s largest Pagan organisation, with a network of chaplains and celebrants across the country. They can often facilitate introductions to local celebrants.
• The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD)(druidry.org): A major Druid organisation that trains celebrants. OBOD celebrants are experienced in conducting rituals and ceremonies in a Druid tradition.
• The Druid Network (druidnetwork.org): An independent Druid network with trained celebrants and chaplains.
• Personal recommendation: Many Pagan communities know of local celebrants through their networks. If the deceased was part of a coven, grove, or other Pagan community, that community will likely know of appropriate celebrants.

When speaking with a potential celebrant, ask about their specific tradition, their experience with funeral ceremonies, their approach to designing a bespoke ceremony, and whether they are comfortable working within a crematorium or other formal venue if required.