Rugby Borough Council officially opens Rainsbrook Cemetery

Rugby Borough Council has officially opened a new cemetery at Rainsbrook, expanding burial provision in the borough and easing pressure on existing sites.

Mayor Barbara Brown cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony at Rainsbrook Crematorium, around 18 months after construction work began on the site. The project was carried out by Leamington Spa-based O’Brien Contractors.

The new cemetery provides more than 4,100 grave plots and is expected to serve the borough for around 40 years. It has been designed to improve accessibility, with 12 disabled parking spaces and a one-kilometre network of new roads and pathways.

The development includes extensive landscaping, with more than 200 trees and about 13,000 shrubs planted across the site. A hedgerow runs through the cemetery to form a wildlife corridor within a wildflower meadow.

An underground drainage system has been installed to prevent flooding of grave plots. Water is channelled into a subterranean reservoir before being released at a controlled rate into the Rains Brook during periods of heavy rainfall.

Rainsbrook Crematorium opened in 2014, with a cemetery included in the original plans. However, Rugby Borough Council delayed construction until its existing cemeteries at Clifton Road, Croop Hill, Watts Lane and Whinfield were approaching full capacity.

Brown said: “The landscaping work means the cemetery complements the grounds of the crematorium and the surroundings of Rainsbrook Valley, making it a place for contemplation and remembrance.”

Rainsbrook Crematorium was originally built by Rugby Borough Council and Daventry District Council, before becoming part of West Northamptonshire Council when it was formed in 2021. Rugby Borough Council retains sole responsibility for the operation of Rainsbrook Cemetery, with all grave plots owned by the council.