Cremation

Cremation is the preferred choice for almost 85% of funerals today for a variety of reasons. If you are considering cremation, the main decision you need to make is to decide which crematorium to choose. You may choose whichever crematorium you wish, even if it is not the closest. It’s a decision which most families make based on personal preference or the location where another family funeral was previously held. Porteous Funeral Directors will be happy to carry out the funeral at any crematorium, wherever it may be.

In our local area there are five crematoria:

Mortonhall Crematorium
30B Howden Hall Rd,
Edinburgh,
EH16 6TX ( Edinburgh West )

Warriston Crematorium
36 Warriston Rd,
Edinburgh,
EH7 4HW ( Edinburgh North )

Seafield Crematorium
40 Seafield Rd,
Edinburgh,
EH6 7LD ( Edinburgh East )

West Lothian Crematorium
Starlaw Rd,
Livingston,
EH54 8SF ( West Lothian )

Borders Crematorium
Melrose,
TD6 9HA ( Borders )

Further Information

Mortonhall Crematorium

Mortonhall crematorium is owned and operated by Edinburgh District Council.

It has two chapels, the Pentland and the Main. The Pentland Chapel is the smaller of the two and can seat up to 65 people, with additional standing room for 15. The Main chapel can seat up to 310 people, with additional standing room for 50. Both chapels offer the facility to show a photo presentation on tv screens, which we organise on your behalf and the option to record or webcast the service. The Pentland chapel booking times operate on the half hour with the Main chapel being on the hour. Although the booking time for either chapel is 60 minutes, the service itself should be between 25-35 minutes to allow additional time for family and mourners entering and leaving the chapel and for the crematorium staff to prepare for the next funeral.

Warriston Crematorium

Warriston crematorium is owned and operated by Edinburgh Crematorium Ltd.

It has two chapels, the Cloister and the Lorimer. The Cloister is the smaller of the two and can seat 60 people, however it has very little standing room. The Lorimer chapel, previously known as the Main, can seat 240 people with additional standing room for larger numbers. Both chapels offer the facility to record or webcast the service. Unfortunately, currently Warriston does not offer photo presentations on screens but Porteous Family Funeral Directors have the equipment and expertise to provide this at the crematorium if you wish. The Cloister chapel booking times operate on the half hour with the Lorimer chapel being on the hour. Although the booking time for either chapel is 60 minutes, the service itself should be between 25-35 minutes to allow additional time for family and mourners entering and leaving the chapel and for the staff to prepare for the next funeral.

Seafield Crematorium

Seafield Crematorium is owned and operated by Edinburgh Crematorium Ltd.

It has one chapel, which can seat 125 people and has additional standing room for larger numbers. The crematorium offers the facility to record or webcast the Service. Unfortunately, currently Seafield does not offer photo presentations on screens but Porteous Family Funeral Directors have the equipment and expertise to provide this at the crematorium if you wish. The chapel booking times operate on the hour. Although the booking time for the chapel is 60 minutes, the service itself should be between 25-35 minutes to allow additional time for family and mourners entering and leaving the chapel and for the staff to prepare for the next funeral.

West Lothian Crematorium

West Lothian crematorium is owned and operated by the Westerleigh Group.

It has one chapel which can seat 112 people and has additional standing room for larger numbers. The chapel offers the facility to show a photo presentation on tv screens, which we organise on your behalf and the option to record or webcast the service. The chapel booking times operate on the hour. Although the booking time for the chapel is 60 minutes, the service itself should be between 25-35 minutes to allow additional time for family and mourners entering and leaving the chapel and for the staff to prepare for the next funeral.

Borders Crematorium

Borders crematorium is owned and operated by the Westerleigh Group.

It has one chapel which can seat 100 people and has additional standing room for larger numbers. The chapel offers the facility to show a photo presentation on tv screens, which we organise on your behalf and the option to record or webcast the service. The chapel booking times operates on the hour. Although the booking time for the chapel is 60 minutes, the service itself should be between 25-35 minutes to allow additional time for family and mourners entering and leaving the chapel and for the staff to prepare for the next funeral.

Chapel Facilities

All of the five crematoria have computer-based music systems through which the music for the funeral service can be played. The music will be organised by your funeral director or the arranger who is assisting you. An organ, with organist, is also available in each crematorium chapel.

All the crematoria have facilities for the service to be webcast or recorded, allowing family members who are not able to be present to watch the funeral as it happens or afterwards. Some also have facilities to show a photo presentation on tv screens during the service.

Alternatively, Porteous Family Funeral Directors can provide this for you.

All chapels are accessible for wheelchair users.

The Service

All of the above crematoria suggest a service of time of between 25 – 35 minutes. This is usually sufficient for a service led by either a religious officiant or an independent celebrant. However, if you would like a longer time for the service, we can book two concurrent time-slots at the crematorium at an additional cost.

Alternatively, some families choose a different venue for the funeral service, such as their local church, a hotel or other suitable venue. If so, the service at the crematorium would take the form of a short committal – either attended by close family only, or open to all who may wish to attend. Traditionally, this would take place after the funeral service, however some families choose to attend the committal service first at the crematorium (which may or may not be private) and then hold a Service of Thanksgiving afterwards.

Alternatively, some families choose to hold the funeral service and committal in church or other suitable venue, with the coffin then being taken to the crematorium by funeral staff without the family attending.

After a cremation, ashes can be buried or scattered in the crematorium grounds, or we can collect them from the crematorium, and either return them to the family for a private scattering, or arrange for a burial in a local cemetery. Your funeral director or arranger will ask you at the time of the arrangement what you would like to happen with the ashes. However, if you are not ready to make that decision, we can hold them at our premises for an agreed period of time until you have made your choice. For more details on what you can do with your loved one’s ashes, please click here.

For more information about the facilities of our different local crematoria please speak to your funeral director or arranger.

Doing things for others is such a special art, and it deserves a “thank you” directly from the heart. Thank you so much for making things easier for us over the past few weeks. We really appreciate your help, kindness and guidance.

June McCulloch & Jean Rankin