Burial

As an ancient tradition, earth burials are seen as the most traditional way of laying someone to rest.

Churchyards

Churchyard burials will only take place if the deceased lives within the parish of the said church.

Graves cannot be purchased, the fee paid is for burial within the churchyard, therefore no deeds are given as the grave is still owned by the church. All changes to the grave such as headstone erection, planting etc will have to be in line with the guidelines which are individual to each church yard.

A service in church is not always needed prior to the burial but this will again need o be clarified at the time of need.

All decisions relating to the grave will be decided by the Chancellor of the local diocese.

Local Authority Cemeteries

Local Authority Cemeteries give the option in most cases to prepurchase grave space and will issue grave deeds which acts as permission to bury within that space. This is called and Exclusive Right of Burial.

The space within these cemeteries is dwindling fast and as a result the price of space is going up dramatically.

Those who live outside the Local Authority that owns the cemetery will be charged more to purchase the grave and to be interred so this needs to be considered when discussing the best option.

Public graves are still an option for those with low funds but the Local Authority will remain the owners of that grave and multiple burials will take place within that one grave. Options of putting headstones on these graves are reduced and markers are usually discouraged.

Privately Owned Burial Grounds

Privately owned burial grounds are now becoming more popular due to Local Authority space shortages.

Private companies purchase the space and will again issue deeds to the grave. Prices are unregulated so can be expensive but are usually well maintained.

Space is more plentiful and there may be less restrictions with regards to headstone and memorial regulations.

Burial within someone’s garden or privately owned field for example is legal but the Environmental Health Agency will need to be consulted.

This option still requires certain paperwork so the assistance of a Funeral Director is advised.

Phone: 0121 722 3220

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