Our Churchyards
Who can be buried?
All our Churchyards are currently open for burials and for the interment of ashes. We are only permitted to allow memorial plaques for people whose remains are in the churchyard. The deceased must have had a link with the village, or they lived or worshipped there. There are statutory fees for burials and for memorials, so please ask for that information.
We are happy to talk to anyone or their family about what they would like, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or if we can be of any help.
​Grave Plots​
A grave space cannot be reserved without a faculty. For details on how to go about this please ask. Graves may be dug 'double-depth' if there is a spouse who will be buried there in the future. (not all churches have capacity for double depth)
If there is an existing family grave and there is space, then your loved one can be buried in the same plot. If there is not an existing grave then it will be the next available space.
​Garden of Remembrance at Mitford​
​
The Garden of Remembrance is located to the rear of the Stable Room. Ashes are interred in the flower beds along the wall and names of your loved one can be engraved on the memorial plaque on the wall. You may also wish to have a rose bush dedicated to your loved one. Please contact the church office to discuss this.
The Interment of Ashes
The earliest interment of ashes could take place is 48 hours after Cremation, but many families prefer to wait longer. The date of the Interment must be arranged with the Office, and we obviously need sufficient notice to ensure we are free. If you have another family member already buried here, the ashes can be buried in their grave. We bury ashes, either in a cardboard or wooden box, or by pouring them lose into the hole, but the Church of England does not allow the scattering of ashes.
​
Flowers and Maintenance of graves
We have to get the right balance between allowing people to remember, and keeping a tidy churchyard which we can maintain. On graves themselves there is more space, but the area has to be maintained and the grass cut - a job which cannot be done to a good standard if lots of pots have to be moved first.
Our Churchyards are open all day every day for whenever you would like to visit, but we would ask that you follow these simple guidelines:
Please do not add anything freestanding to your area – particularly lights, windmills, toys, photographs, lanterns, edging, gravel, plant pots or vases (also see earlier list). These will be removed and kept for safe keeping. In exceptional circumstances, a grace period may be granted for memorials after the funeral of a child.
You are welcome to bring fresh flowers, which must be out of polythene and set safely into a sunken vase.
Please avoid long-term planting, as further permission is required, plus trees and shrubs can cause particular problems when roots go deep.
It really helps us if you can take all your rubbish away with you when you leave. Thank you.
Memorials for Ashes on Existing Graves
In the event there is no space on the existing gravestone, a flat slab, laid just below the ground is the only marker permitted for cremated remains. Open books, sloping plaques and headstones cannot be selected, even though there are others in the churchyard. Most stones in the churchyard are 18” x 12” and 2” deep. These are a world heritage feature.
Gravestones
It is wise to wait almost a year for the ground to settle before asking for permission to install a gravestone. The stonemason will provide a simple wooden cross with the deceased's name to act as a marker. This also allows time for you to decide what wording you want. However, while you may have permission to have a burial in the churchyard, the plot does not actually belong to you. The churchyard belongs to the Diocese of Newcastle therefore Diocesan regulations must be adhered to when choosing a memorial to mark your interment. This is to ensure the churchyard is in keeping with its Christian history and that it is safe.
Churchyard
Regulations
For individual churchyard regulations please see the booklets for each church which are available on the individual church page. We have no discretion with the regulations that are put in place and cannot make exceptions. Please ensure you have checked in the first instance with the church. Any monuments or headstones that do not comply with local rules will be removed. This includes any monuments where permission has not been granted.
​
Churchyard
Maintenance
Our churchyards are maintained by teams of volunteers. We do not get any funding centrally for the upkeep of our churchyards and we try hard to keep them mowed and in good condition. If you see something that doesn't look quite right, please get in touch with us in the first instance. If you have some spare time and would like to join our volunteer groups we would love to chat with you. Please drop us a message using the form below.
Let’s Work Together
For enquiries about the churchyard please get in touch!