Churchyard Policy

St Robert’s, Pannal – Churchyard Policy

This document sets out the essential elements and procedures of our Churchyard Policy.

Introduction

Our churchyard is an important and cherished part of our church life and the heritage of our community. It remains open to the public at all times, and is used and cherished by a large number of people. It is our desire to work with the Diocese of Leeds, the families of those interred in our churchyards and the local community to ensure the churchyard remain a resource for future generations.

This policy defines the right to interment of ashes within, and the management of, the churchyard in the parish. The parish of St Robert’s Pannal, allows the interment of cremated remains only.

Churchyards are consecrated ground, and as such are governed by rules defined by the Diocese of Leeds contained within the Diocesan Regulations for churchyards. These regulations will be followed in this parish at all times, only allowing for local decisions, custom and practice where the regulations permit.

Right to burial of ashes

In a consecrated churchyard, provided there is space available the following people have a right to the interment of ashes in the churchyard of the parish church:

  • every parishioner
  • any person dying in the parish, wherever that person resides.
  • any person whose name is on the electoral roll of the parish at the time of their death

No other ashes can be buried in the churchyard without the consent of the incumbent & St Robert’s Parochial Church Council (PCC). If the incumbent & PCC decline to allow the burial of ashes who has no right of burial as defined above, the decision shall be final.

There is no right of burial in any particular part of a churchyard. The selection of a burial space is for the incumbent, but will usually be undertaken in consultation with the family concerned.

Areas for cremated remains

Cremated remains may be buried either in an existing grave, or in the specific area set aside for the burial of cremated remains.

Burial of ashes in an existing grave will be permitted on a case by case basis, depending on the room in the grave and the connection between the deceased and the person(s) already buried in the grave.

Cremated remains should either be reverently poured into a specially prepared hole in the ground between 18 and 24 inches deep, strewn onto bare earth (and the ashes then covered with earth), or buried in a wooden casket. The scattering of cremated remains onto the surface of the earth is not permitted nor is the burial of non-biodegradable items.

If cremated remains are interred in an existing grave a separate memorial or ledger stone is not permitted, though an inscription may be added to an existing memorial or ledger stone after due authorisation providing the memorial or ledger stone has room for an extra inscription.

At this time interred ashes are marked by a bronze plaque in the same style and dimension as existing plaques.

Reservation of a space for the burial of ashes

The parish policy is not to allow the reserving of a space for the interment of ashes in areas for cremated remains at St Robert’s.

Ownership of the churchyard

The ownership of the churchyard is vested in the incumbent for the use of the parishioners (where there is a vacancy in the incumbency, the ownership is vested in the Diocesan Bishop).

The exercise of a previous or current right of burial, interment of cremated remains, reservation of a grave space by faculty or erection of a memorial do not confer any rights of ownership upon the relatives of the deceased person or upon any other persons in respect of the churchyard itself.

Ownership of memorial and ledger stones

The owner of a churchyard memorial or ledger stone is defined as the person who erected the monument in question and after his/her death the heir or heirs at law of the person or persons in whose memory it was erected. Therefore, the primary responsibility for upkeep falls on the owners of the stone who are the heirs of the person or persons commemorated.

Because the maintenance of the churchyard in a safe state is prima facie the responsibility of the PCC, it must bear the responsibility for any dangerous memorial or ledger stones within the churchyard when the heirs cannot be traced. The PCC must take appropriate steps to deal with any dangerous situations, and such action will be limited by the funds at its disposal. The PCC commits to a regular inspection of headstones to ensure they are safe and will rectify any unsafe headstones. This may include laying down unsafe headstones.

Erection of memorial and ledger stones

The introduction of a memorial or ledger stone, or any other object, into a churchyard requires the permission of the Chancellor of the Diocese, and must conform to the Diocesan regulations. In practice the Chancellor has delegated limited authority to the incumbent for the introduction, or alteration, in a churchyard, of a memorial or ledger stone that conforms to the regulations.

Permission to introduce a memorial or ledger stone must always be obtained from the incumbent before any such matters can proceed.

The applicant will be required to sign a memorial or ledger agreement. Where the proposed stone falls outside the scope of the incumbent’s delegated authority, a faculty is required.

The PCC will normally only accept the installation of a memorial or ledger stone, which conforms to the regulations, by a recognised Funeral Director or stonemason.

Churchyard management

Our churchyard is large and complex to maintain. We aim to strike a balance between ensuring the churchyards are well kept and looked after, whilst having consideration to the provision of areas for wildlife to flourish in suitable areas within the churchyards.

The PCC will maintain a management scheme for St Robert’s churchyard.

This scheme will provide a plan locating the graves as accurately as possible and including the names of those buried and interred there. This plan will be used when allocating spaces for interment of ashes.

The management scheme will explain how memorial and ledger stones, furniture located in the churchyard, and trees and other natural elements of the churchyard are managed.

Churchyard maintenance

The maintenance of St Robert’s churchyard, including the mowing of grass and control of pests and vermin, is controlled by the PCC.

Maintenance of trees and shrubs in these churchyards is the responsibility of the PCC, and they will ensure all trees within the churchyard are safe and steps taken to remedy unsafe or dangerous trees within the churchyard.

No tree or shrub may be planted in the churchyard without the explicit written permission of the incumbent and PCC.

The regulations state that:

No individual garden may be erected, or tree or shrub planted on, or adjacent to, a grave or other place where ashes are buried.

Only cut flowers or wreaths may be left at the burial sites. These must be removed when withered or decaying. No plastic or artificial flowers are permitted save in relation to Remembrance Day wreaths or poppies, or Christmas wreaths; these must be removed after a period of one month after the event.

Silk flowers, pots, toys or other similar ornaments may not be left at the graveside.

Any objects left at the grave but not allowed under the regulations or authorised by Faculty, will be removed and returned to the relatives as soon as possible, where it is possible to trace them.


The PCC can be contacted via the church office 01423 873577…….or by email admin@strobertschurch.co.uk

The Vicar the  Reverend John Smith can be contacted by phone; Home – 01423 391514  or Mobile – 07772 165722……or by email john.smith@leeds.anglican.org

 

John Smith                                                     November 19th, 2019.

Signed by the Incumbent                              Date

For and on behalf of the PCC of St Robert of Knaresborough, Pannal