The earliest evidence for the use of wooden coffins dates to 5000 BC and was found in the Tomb 4 at Beishouling, Shaanxi. There have been many designs and styles of coffin over the centuries but by far the most common styles in the UK are the tapered six sided box (also considered to be anthropoidal in shape) which is referred to as a “coffin”, and the square sided, rectangular box referred to as a “casket”. The now universal “coffin” design, built to be wider at the shoulders and narrower at the feet, was designed originally to save money on wood.

With the growing resurgence of cremation in the western world many coffins are now made of thinner and lighter materials such as particle board or low density fibre board in order to minimise the carbon footprint and use of natural resources. It has also become standard practice to use these lighter coffins for burials unless a solid wood coffin or casket is specifically desired. Another growing move is to personalise the coffin to the deceased’s lifestyle and personality, for example painting a coffin in a favourite team’s colours or draping the coffin in a themed flag.

There is emerging interest in eco-friendly coffins made of purely natural materials such as bamboo, willow or banana leaf and it is becoming increasingly popular to use cardboard coffins. We offer a large range of natural and cardboard coffins which you can see on our Green Funerals page.

Please note that our standard price includes a beautiful wood veneer coffin, The Tutbury, at no extra cost.

Wood Effect Coffins

Our Wood Effect Coffins offer the aesthetics of a high-quality wood finish but without the price. They also require less raw material to produce and release far less CO2 than solid wood coffins, so they are better for the environment.

The Tutbury
£320
The Carsington
£356
Wood Veneer Coffins

Very similar to our Wood Effect Coffins these offer a high quality gloss veneer finish that is practically indistinguishable from polished wood. We offer a large range of Veneer Coffins so please click below to see our full range and find a coffin that you feel is perfectly suited for the occasion.

The York
£371
The Kedlestone
£396
The Ashbourne
£457
The Repton
£400
Solid Wood Coffins

These are high quality, hard wood coffins offering robust construction with premium aesthetics. If a solid wood coffin is important to you then these offer an excellent choice at a reasonable price. However, if solid wood is not a factor then please consider the environmental impact and choose a Wood Effect or Veneer Coffin. This will also reduce the cost of the funeral considerably.

The Sherwood
£567
The Derby
£710
The Ascot
£725
The Chesterfield
£765
Caskets

The word casket was originally coined to describe an ornamental box used to hold jewellery or other precious items. Based on a much older design tradition a polished casket offers a very formal and stately feel as it is carried into the church or chapel. The Casket design does offer a more distinct aesthetic because it is selected for only a small percentage of funerals these days.

The Atherton
£470 (Wood Veneer Casket)
The Ashbourne Casket
£499 (Wood Veneer Casket)
The Windsor
£795 (Solid Wood Casket)
The Westminster
£895 (Solid Wood Casket)
Baby and Infant

Our collection of baby and infant coffins and caskets are available in a range of different sizes and colours. While there is nothing we can do to alleviate the pain of losing a young life, each coffin is carefully lined for a soft and comfortable final sleep.

Child’s Coffin Baby Pink
Included Free
Child’s Casket Baby Blue
Included Free
Child’s Coffin Oak Veneer
Included Free
Child’s Casket White
Included Free
Last Supper Collection

Depicting Biblical and religious themes these coffins are best suited for religious and especially catholic funerals. Each scene is artfully countersunk into the body of the coffin presenting a beautiful and polished wood-effect finish.

The Last Supper
£528
The Crown of Thorns
£528
The Lourdes Scene
£528
The Foot of the Cross
£555
Natural Coffins

For those who want to combine a natural beauty with an eco-friendly funeral we offer a range of Natural Coffins. Bamboo, Banana and Willow coffins are especially suitable for environmentally friendly burial and our simple but beautiful cardboard coffins are the best eco-solution for both burial and cremation. Click below to see our full range of coffins for green funerals.

Bamboo
Banana
Willow
Decorated Cardboard

Testimonials

Dear All

A few words of thanks to all who helped me with the loss of my husband. He had a wonderful send-off thanks to you and the Royal Artillery Association. I was very grateful for all the help and respect given to myself and to his daughter. Thank you all once again

Mrs S Ascroft - September 2018

To everyone at Penrose,

I can’t begin to thank you enough for all your kindness that you showed to me and my family

Kay Dare and all the Family - July 2022

To everybody at Penrose

Thank you so very much for the professional service you provided for my son ‘Pat’ yesterday. Much love…

Julie Ruder and all of our family - August 2018
My family and friends want to thank sincerely all the staff at Penrose for being so compassionate, professional and sensitive with fulfilling our wishes to celebrate the life of Margaret Rose Shales.

Penrose showed respect taking us through the detailed procedure with personal delicacy enabling us to honour a special woman.

I would highly recommend the family run business, and my father wishes are to use Penrose as he can guarantee a perfect ceremony.

Thank you.

Janice Shales - June 2022

Dear Penrose,

Many thanks for looking after John whilst he was in your care. Also thank you for all your help and support you gave us to give John a good send off on his final journey.

Such professional, caring and compassionate people.

A huge big thank you from all of us

Gillian, Sarah, Richard and families - May 2019

To all the staff at Penrose Funeral Services,

Thank you all so much for being so helpful and kind at a very difficult time. Keep up the excellent, friendly service.

Kind regards

Sonia and family - May 2018

We would just like to say thank you for looking after Maria Dulieu and everything you did for us as a family. For all the care and attention you gave right to the very last detail.

Everything was done with such respect and military precision, we cannot praise you enough.

Best wishes to you all

Sue England and Family - December 2020
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