R C Payne & Son Funeral Directors, Bitterne
About our Bitterne funeral home
At a time of emotional upheaval, our team of Bitterne funeral directors is here to support you. We can provide guidance and comfort, helping you face some of the difficulties that arise following bereavement, while ensuring your loved one receives a personal farewell.
Having served the local community here in Southampton since 1887, you can be certain of a professional but compassionate standard of care. Established by Robert Chapman Payne, we have always been a part of Bitterne, starting from a house on Commercial Street (now a car park on the site of the old Percy Arms pub), before moving, in the 1930s, a short way down the road to our current premises.
Both the son and the grandson of our founder, along with his brother and nephew, have worked at our Bitterne funeral home, which over the years has undergone complete renovation.
All types of funeral can be arranged from either here, or, if you are unable to visit, your home. So whether you want an unattended cremation, religious or humanist ceremony, a traditional service or something a little more out of the ordinary, we will give you the opportunity to pay your respects in an appropriate and heartfelt manner.
You can find our funeral home on Bitterne Road East, putting us within easy reach of the surrounding areas in Southampton, such as Harefield, Itchen, Thornhill and Weston. We have a chapel of rest on the premises, allowing you to spend time with your loved one in a peaceful and private environment, on a day of your choosing.
The friendly team at our Bitterne funeral directors is always available to help in a time of need. You can contact us 24 hours of the day and there will be somebody ready to listen. To arrange your loved one’s funeral,
What we offer
- Advice from our funeral experts on all aspects of funerals in Southampton
- Tailored funeral arrangments, meeting the wishes of you and your family, or your loved one.
- Comprehensive local knowledge of Bitterne and Southampton
- Cremations and burials at any funeral site throughout Southampton
- Funerals for all faiths and cultures
- The visiting of your loved one in our chapel of rest
- A range of funeral vehicle options, both traditional and bespoke
- Funeral memorials and personal tributes
- Various prepaid funeral plans
Funeral Services with distinction
Many Dignity funeral directors have been part of the local community for generations and it is a privilege to serve those who live beside us. Our rich and lengthy heritage ensures we can deliver our service with local knowledge and unparalleled expertise.
Our funeral services
View our Standardised Price List, Additional Options Price List and Crematoria Price List.
The Unattended Funeral
We will help you arrange a simple funeral consisting of a direct cremation without mourners present.Our Unattended Funeral allows friends and family to commemorate your loved one in their own way. Our expert funeral directors will provide all necessary care, while offering advice and support every step of the way. A cremation will then be carried out without mourners present, overseen by one of our qualified attendants.Find out moreFrom£1295plus £- (Includes cost of cremation).plus £- (Includes cost of cremation).![Funeral Service Image]()
The Unattended Funeral
We will help you arrange a simple funeral consisting of a direct cremation without mourners present.From£1295plus £- (Includes cost of cremation).plus £- (Includes cost of cremation).Our Unattended Funeral allows friends and family to commemorate your loved one in their own way. Our expert funeral directors will provide all necessary care, while offering advice and support every step of the way. A cremation will then be carried out without mourners present, overseen by one of our qualified attendants.![Funeral Service Image]()
The Attended Funeral
A fully personalised funeral arranged and conducted by our expert teams in accordance with your exact wishes.Our expert team will take care of your loved one with the utmost dignity and respect, while we help arrange a personalised funeral with any additional services you wish.Find out moreFrom£2695plus £1378 estimated third party costs for cost of cremation and attendance of a celebrant or minister.plus £1378 estimated third party costs for cost of cremation and attendance of a celebrant or minister.![Funeral Service Image]()
The Attended Funeral
A fully personalised funeral arranged and conducted by our expert teams in accordance with your exact wishes.From£2695plus £1378 estimated third party costs for cost of cremation and attendance of a celebrant or minister.plus £1378 estimated third party costs for cost of cremation and attendance of a celebrant or minister.Our Memorials
Choose from a variety of options, including headstones and urns to memorial plaques, vases, statues, jewellery and plenty more. With a Memorial, you can create a tribute that especially reflects the life, love and cherished memories of your loved one.Find out moreFrom-plus £- (There’s a wide range available and the price is dependent on product).plus £- (There’s a wide range available and the price is dependent on product).![Our Memorials]()
Our Memorials
Choose from a variety of options, including headstones and urns to memorial plaques, vases, statues, jewellery and plenty more. With a Memorial, you can create a tribute that especially reflects the life, love and cherished memories of your loved one.From-plus £- (There’s a wide range available and the price is dependent on product).plus £- (There’s a wide range available and the price is dependent on product).
Where to find us
Address
Directions and Parking
We have a car park you can use at the rear of our funeral home.
Funeral Home Opening Times
| Day of the Week | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 08:30 - 16:30 |
| Tuesday | 08:30 - 16:30 |
| Wednesday | 08:30 - 16:30 |
| Thursday | 08:30 - 16:30 |
| Friday | 08:30 - 16:30 |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
24 Hour Availability
Supporting you along the way
![What to do when someone dies]()
What to do when someone dies
Providing step-by-step information of what to do immediately following the passing of loved one, our guide carefully explains the necessary processes when someone dies.Find out more![Planning a funeral]()
Planning a funeral
Helping you to plan your loved one's funeral, our guide provides advice and guidance on what, with the help of our funeral directors, you need to consider.Find out more![The funeral service]()
The day of the funeral
What happens on the day of the funeral, both before, during and after the service? This guide sheds a little light on what to expect.Find out more
Frequently asked questions
When someone dies, the first steps will depend on how and where the person passed away. Our step-by-step guides will walk you through the practical steps. For additional support and personal advice, please get in touch with us.
You don't have to make an appointment at our funeral homes. However, doing so will ensure that someone can be available to cater to your needs. When arranging a funeral, our Funeral Directors are happy to visit you in your own home, if required.
Third party funeral costs are additional charges which we will manage for you and attach to your single invoice. Get in touch with us to confirm costs and plan a funeral to fit your budget.
If you choose to arrange the funeral with us, you will be given the option of a complimentary Funeral Notice. We will set it up for you using the details discussed during the arrangements. All we need is an email address.
Dignity Funeral Plans let you pay for your funeral in advance and at today's price. It's a way of taking control of the unexpected, setting out the arrangements and limiting the costs by paying for the services included in the funeral plan upfront.
We are a member of the National Association of Funeral Directors and as such we abide by The Funeral Director Code. We also have a legal obligation to try and ensure the person who is arranging a funeral has the right to do so, or has permission from those who do.
If you are aware that someone has been appointed as the administrator, you should only arrange the funeral with this person's agreement.
If there is no Will or Letters of Administration, then the responsibility would pass to the next of kin.A Memorial is a way of creating a lasting memory to help remember a loved one.
Dignity has been established for over 200 years and is one of the UK's leading providers of Funerals and with an 'Excellent' Trustpilot rating (02/24). We are proud to help our customers every year with a diverse range of Memorial products and services to help remember their loved ones.
We offer a wide range of products – from traditional headstones, kerb sets, urns and benches to remembrance trees, plaques and vases. We also offer more personal and modern options such as jewellery, pin badges and photo related memorial products. As well as completely customised items.To organise your Memorial contact us on
023 8044 9111From 9 September 2024, there will no longer be a doctor's fee in England and Wales when arranging a funeral. This is because from this date, all deaths in England and Wales will be independently viewed, either by a relevant coroner or by a Medical Examiner and the cost will be met by the NHS.
A Medical Examiner is a specifically trained independent senior doctor who will scrutinise all deaths across a local area that do not fall under the coroner's jurisdiction. By providing a greater level of scrutiny over the cause of deaths; it is hoped that the introduction of Medical Examiners will make it less likely that unnatural causes of death will go unnoticed; that the number of deaths unnecessarily referred to the coroner will be reduced and that national data about causes of death will be captured with greater accuracy.
Medical Examiners, or Medical Examiner Officers, will also be available to meet with families, or their representatives, if they wish to discuss the cause of death.