Memorial Grove
Memorial Grove is the garden at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for the scattering and interment of ashes of late individuals who were affiliated with the University. Memorial Grove is located at the corner of Country Club Road and Raleigh Road adjacent to the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery. The garden is reserved for use by individuals with a University affiliation and for immediate family members of those individuals. Because of the nature of a scattering garden, the space (while relatively small) can accommodate an unlimited number of individuals, allowing anyone who wishes to maintain an eternal connection to the University to do so. Along with the eternal joining, the Wall of Remembrance displays the names of individuals who have been interred in Memorial Grove for family and friends to visit.
Application Fee
Effective Jan. 1, 2022, the nonrefundable application fee for individuals who wish to be scattered or interred within Memorial Grove increased to $750.
Photos and Map
Parking
The primary visitor parking for Memorial Grove is located just off campus at the Raleigh Road Visitor Lot. Limited weekend parking is available in the School of Government Parking Deck. Daily metered parking is available on South and Country Club Roads.
Scattering
All scatterings will be performed solely by the family and/or friends of the deceased at a place of their choosing, provided it is within one of the areas designated on the map of Memorial Grove. The University does not assist or participate in the scattering of ashes or any associated ceremonies. The University does ensure that the garden is in proper shape for prearranged ceremonies.
Interments
All burials of ashes shall be done by the family and/or friends in areas predetermined solely by the University. To arrange for a burial, the completed application must be received three business days prior to the requested interment day. Prior to the requested date and time, University staff will locate and prepare an appropriate area for burial. The site will be marked so that the family can locate it upon their arrival. You are encouraged to tour the garden prior to the ceremony so that attendees may be directed to the proper location. Families are strongly encouraged to place ashes directly into the ground. However, if ashes are to be buried in containers, such containers must be fully biodegradable, including interior linings, and cannot exceed a size of 7” x 9.5” x 5.5”. Once the remains have been placed in the ground, the family should cover the opening at least partially with provided fill dirt. University staff will inspect the burial site at a subsequent time and provide additional covering as needed.
Privacy
The University will not close Memorial Grove during ceremonies and thus makes no guarantee of privacy before, during or after any ceremony. The University will maintain a schedule of ceremonies so that two ceremonies are not scheduled for a common start time. However, University staff will not attend ceremonies to ensure that they either begin or end at a specific time. University staff do their best to control ceremonies but cannot guarantee that other unknown scattering ceremonies will not be taken place at the same time.
Wall of Remembrance
All names on the Wall of Remembrance will be listed in chronological order, based on the order in which the scatterings or interments occur. All names will be inscribed in a uniform font known as Classical Condensed. The University will make no special arrangements for the subsequent death of family members regarding the special placement of interred ashes or the listing of names on the Wall of Remembrance other than in chronological order.
Application
Any application or reservation fee or portion thereof submitted to the University for the reservation of an imminent or future scattering or burial shall be nonrefundable. The fee is $750 to be placed on Wall of Remembrance and to be scattered/interred in Memorial Garden.
Mementos
Families are asked to refrain from leaving flowers, cards, mementos etc. anywhere in Memorial Grove. Any such items will be collected and removed by University staff.