Stephen Hawking's ashes to rest near Newton and Darwin's graves

Legendary British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking will receive a private funeral at a church in Cambridge and the final resting place for his ashes will be next to fellow scientists Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin at Westminster Abbey here, his family said on Tuesday.

One of the world's most famous scientists, who died peacefully at his home in Cambridge aged 76 on March 14, will receive an "inclusive and traditional" funeral ceremony at Great St Mary's, the University Church in Cambridge, on Easter Saturday.

His ashes will then be "interred" near the grave of Newton, another famous British scientist, during a thanksgiving service later this year.

"It is entirely fitting that the remains of Professor Stephen Hawking are to be buried in the Abbey, near those of distinguished fellow scientists. Sir Isaac Newton was buried in the Abbey in 1727. Charles Darwin was buried beside Isaac Newton in 1882," said the dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall.