Guidelines and Regulations
Norton Disney Parish Council
Information Concerning the Parish Cemetery
General
Norton Disney Parish Council understands that at a time of bereavement rules and regulations may seem unhelpful or obstructive. We believe, however, that this information and guidance will help you now and in the future. You may find it helpful to keep this document with the Exclusive Right of Burial issued by the Parish Council for future reference.
Norton Disney Parish Council has a statutory duty to manage the parish cemetery under the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 (LACO), as amended. Local government burial authorities have been given wide powers for the management, regulation and control of a cemetery for which they are responsible.
It is important to be aware that the parish cemetery is distinct from the cemetery associated with St Peter’s Church. Although they are physically very close to each other and the parish cemetery may even appear to be an extension of the churchyard, the burial and interment arrangements for the St Peter’s churchyard burial area are controlled and managed by the Church of England. Burials and interment of cremated ashes in the churchyard follow the diocesan churchyard regulations.
The Guidelines and Regulations for the parish cemetery that follow are consistent with and guided by other neighbouring burial authorities which have been in operation for much longer than the Norton Disney parish cemetery. They are not intended to cover every aspect of the Parish Council’s management of the cemetery but rather to help with the understanding of the main considerations.
Guidelines and Regulations for Norton Disney Parish Cemetery
1. The cemetery is open for the burial of residents of the parish of Norton Disney or persons who die in the parish. In addition, at the discretion of the Parish Council, burials or interment of cremated ashes of other persons may be allowed, for example, if the deceased person had some meaningful association with the parish.
2. Purchase of a ‘grave’ or ‘grave space’ or ‘plot’ (hereafter called a burial plot) will confer on the owner an Exclusive Right of Burial granted by the Parish Council. The Council grant in respect of any plot is not to be construed as extending farther than a grant or exclusive right of burial therein. The land occupied by the grave remains the property of the Parish Council.
Grave spaces are carefully recorded on plans kept by the parish clerk and are registered by law.
3. The size of burial plots will be as follows: -
Adults.
Full burial plots for adults and older children are seven feet long by three feet wide (84″ x 36″).
Children.
Full burial plots for a small child or baby are four feet long by two feet wide (48″ x 24″).
Interment of ashes.
Burial plots for interment of cremated remains are two feet long by two feet wide (24″ x 24″).
4. Fees are charged at the discretion of the parish council for burials and for the right to erect memorials or additional inscriptions. Such fees as are in existence from time to time are available from the Clerk to the Parish Council whose contact email address is nortondisneyclerk@gmail.com
5. Coffins, caskets, urns and shrouds.
All burial vessels should be constructed of wood or other perishable materials.
Cremated remains should be contained in a suitable urn or vessel.
Wedding rings and similar objects may be interred with burials or interments.
6. Grave digging and interments
Graves will be excavated and prepared by the contractors appointed by the Parish Council. No other persons or contractors are permitted to undertake excavations within the cemetery except with the written consent of the Clerk to the Parish Council. The depth of each grave will be determined by the Parish Council in accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977.
When a grave is prepared, the excavated soil is placed to the side of the grave. It may be necessary for excavated soil to be placed on one or more adjacent graves. Any fixed memorials will be protected and adjacent graves will be covered so that the excavated soil does not lie directly on any adjacent grave. This is common practice in cemeteries throughout the country and may briefly interfere with access. The area will be left neat and tidy after the funeral has taken place.
7. The following general rules and regulations apply to the cemetery
i) Any floral or other tributes from the funeral may be placed on top of the grave and may remain in place for a maximum of 28 days, after which they may be cleared by the Council.
ii) A marker or name plate should be placed on the grave at the time of burial. The marker or name plate should remain until it is replaced with a headstone or other approved permanent memorial.
iii) Apart from after a burial where the earth is mounded on the grave to allow for initial settlement, raised mounds or turfed banks are not permitted on any grave. No perennial plant, tree or shrub may be planted on any grave.
iv) Kerbs within or around burial plots are not permitted nor should any gravel be placed in or around the plot.
v) Memorial applications must be made to Norton Disney Parish Council, through the Clerk to the Parish Council, by the living registered grave owner before an Exclusive Right of Memorial can be granted. On receipt of a fully completed application, appropriate fee, and compliance with the Council’s memorial rules, an Exclusive Right of Memorial will be issued to the grave owner. It is suggested that this is kept safely with the Exclusive Right of Burial
vi) Memorials shall not be placed on any plot for at least six months after the date of interment to allow for settlement of the ground. The timing of placement of memorials beyond this interval will depend on the advice of the applicant’s Memorial Mason.
vii) The maximum height of headstones is limited to 28 inches with a 6-inch plinth.
viii) Unauthorised memorials may be removed, and the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 authorises the cost of doing so to be recovered from the person responsible, or their personal representative.
It is expected that these general rules and regulations will facilitate the Parish Council’s maintenance of the cemetery and provide an agreeable appearance for the benefit of all visitors.