Freeman Brothers has been a funeral director in Sussex and Surrey since 1855 and, from its branches in Horsham, Billingshurst, Crawley and Hurstpierpoint, offers compassionate, professional services to help bereaved people at what is often a very difficult time. A common source of questions is around who can be buried in a churchyard and what the rules are surrounding them, and so Freeman Brothers’ Manager, Abi Pattenden, provides some key information on this important topic.
What is the main misconception about being buried in Churchyards?
People often assume that a Churchyard is like other burial places and anyone can be buried in them. In fact, there are quite strict criteria: you have to be a Christian, and you either have to have lived in the Parish or died in it. If not, the Incumbent Minister might allow a burial if there is a very close connection to the Church- if you worshipped there regularly, for example, or you have family members buried there, but this is not guaranteed.
Can I reserve a space to be buried in a Churchyard?
You can try, by applying to the relevant Diocese for a Faculty, but this takes time, has a financial cost, and is not guaranteed. There often needs to be a very strong case to be allowed to reserve a plot. This confusion often arises from the ability to reserve a plot in other burial places (such as cemeteries or Natural Burial Grounds), but in a Churchyard you do not own the plot in the same way and so cannot buy it to reserve it.
The only way to guarantee that you can be buried in a Churchyard is if someone is already buried there and there is space in that same grave for you to be buried with them, when your time comes.
It should also be mentioned that once a Churchyard is full it becomes ‘Closed’, and no new graves will be permitted (although burial in existing graves which have space for later interments will still be allowed).
What other options are there for a burial?
This depends where you live. Many Local Authorities (District, Borough, and Parish Councils) own and operate Cemeteries and Burial Grounds, usually intended for local residents to be buried in (with larger fees for non-residents as a result). They may also own Natural or Woodland Burial grounds, and private companies operate these too. They are different from a Churchyard in that you can often reserve a plot in advance but there are often more fees to pay: when you buy the plot and then when each burial takes place; while Churchyards do not allow you to buy the plot and so there is no corresponding charge for this.
If you feel very strongly about a Churchyard as your last resting place, but it is closed for burials, a cremation and ashes interment could be considered if there is sufficient space or a pre-existing grave to inter them in, but there are eligibility criteria for ashes interments (as for burials), and is not guaranteed, so it would be wise to discuss this with the Incumbent Minister. Also, many people who prefer a burial would not wish to be cremated and so choosing an alternative place may be the only option.
Are there any rules around headstones for Churchyards?
Yes, there are. Every Diocese makes its own rules with the Incumbent Minister of the Church concerned giving consent for a memorial to be placed in the Churchyard. He or she will see that the rules are followed. As well as likely regulations around the size and material of the memorial, there will be rules around the type of inscription which is allowed. Churches often do not favour pet names or descriptions of the person who has died, preferring text which is more formal or religious in tone, and may object to carvings or engravings which would be allowed in a Cemetery. This is an important consideration for anyone who might like a particular style of Memorial and our advice is always to ensure you understand the rules in any burial place before the interment takes place. Some Churchyards will also have rules about memorials for ashes plots, too, such as reqiring a tablet instead of a headstone.
Freeman Brothers’ sister company, J.Gumbrill, has been established in the local area for over 100 years and will be happy to provide information on memorial regulations in any burial place, and will always work with you in creating a design that both meets your wishes and will be accepted in the burial place.
