Cemetery Rules and Regulations

These rules and regulations pertain to the control, operation and orderly management of the cemeteries in the ownership of the Parish of Bruff Grange Meanus (Bruff, Meanus, Grange Old and Grange Extension Cemeteries)
1 The cemeteries are reserved for the interment of those who were residents of the Parish immediately prior to their death.
2 Grave spaces shall be purchased as and when required only. A person may purchase one (Single) or two plots (Double) at this time.
3 Grave spaces shall not be allocated unless paid for in full and a receipt
furnished.
4 Grave spaces shall be allocated only on the basis of the next available space as determined at the sole discretion of the Cemetery Committee or their appointed representative.
5 Only human remains and cremated human remains shall be interred in the cemeteries.
6 Each grave space, when opened for the first Interment therein, shall be sunk to a perpendicular depth of 1.83 meters (6 ft) at least, or in case the nature of the sub-soil will not permit the grave space being sunk to such depth, then to such lesser depth as the Cemetery committee shall specify. Gravedigger nominated by the parish must be used to dig graves.
7 Cremated remains may be interred in an urn or small casket or other approved containers in conventional grave spaces.
8 The Cemetery Committee or their appointed representative must always be notified prior to the opening of a grave. Caretakers must make all records available to the Cemetery Committee, if requested.
9 No grave in which anybody has been interred shall be opened save for the
purpose of Interment or exhumation and in the case of exhumation In
accordance with legal procedures.
10 No unwalled burial space shall be reopened within 14 years after the burial of a person unless to bury another member of the same family, in which case a layer of earth not less than 250 mm (10 in) in depth shall be left undisturbed above the previously buried coffin or casket but if on reopening any grave the soil be found to be offensive, such soil shall not be disturbed . In no case shall human remains be removed from the grave space.
11 No coffin shall be buried in any unwalled grave unless the lid or upper surface thereof shall be sunk to a depth of at least 1.2m (4 ft) below the ordinary level of the ground in the Cemetery, unless otherwise agreed with the Cemetery Committee.
12 Visitors to the Cemetery shall enter and leave the Cemetery only by means of the gates provided for that purpose. A visitor shall close and re-secure any gate he or she opens at the Cemetery.
13 Visitors shall not walk on any of the shrubberies, grave spaces or enclosures but shall confine themselves to the paths or avenues therein where provided.
14 Visitors shall not interfere with any of the tombs, monuments or headstones or with any flowers, shrubs or wreaths within the Cemetery.
15 Save as set out at rule 16 below no person shall allow or cause a dog or other animal to enter the Cemetery.
16 Guide Dogs accompanying persons with visual impairment are permitted to enter the Cemetery.
17 No vehicles shall be allowed enter the Cemetery with the exception of funeral cars and vehicles/wheelchairs carrying disabled persons. Maintenance vehicles will be allowed by prior permission of the Cemetery Committee or their appointed representative.
18 A member or members of the Cemetery Committee shall at all times be entitled and at liberty to remove from the Cemetery any person who may be guilty of misconduct therein and to prevent any person from entering the Cemetery at prohibited times.
19 All persons shall conduct themselves in a decent, quiet and orderly manner while in the Cemetery and no person shall willfully create any disturbance in the Cemetery; commit a nuisance in the Cemetery; willfully interfere with any burial taking place in the Cemetery; willfully interfere with any grave space or vault, any tombstone or any other memorial or any plants on any such grave space; play at any game or sport in the Cemetery; ride a bicycle, skateboard or other similar machine in the Cemetery; cause damage to headstones; dump waste litter or cause fly tipping. The bringing of food or drink onto the Cemetery or the consumption of food or drink on the Cemetery grounds is prohibited.
20 In all new or extension cemeteries, the area to be used for graves shall be divided into grave spaces, designated by convenient marks or numbers so that the position of each grave space may be readily ascertained.
21 In cemeteries, a corresponding map or maps of the Cemetery shall be
constantly kept in some convenient place and shall be made available for
inspection, subject to adherence to all General Data Protection Regulations. On such map or maps every grave space shall be shown with its distinctive mark/number inscribed thereon, i.e. section, row and mark/ number.
22 The acquisition of a right of burial in a Cemetery does not allow the erection of a headstone without application to and approval of the Cemetery Committee and without strict adherence to the specifications for such headstones set out hereinafter.
23 The selling of a right of burial in a Cemetery to a third party is not permitted. However, the Cemetery Committee will facilitate those wishing to return ownership of a right of burial to the Parish.
24 Sandblasting or polishing of old headstones may weaken the headstone.
Approval must be sought from the Cemetery Committee prior to any
sandblasting or polishing works being carried out to old headstones.
25 The planting of shrubs or flowers, placing of ornaments on grave spaces in the new/extension Cemetery at Grange is not permitted. Kerbing, railings or chains are not permitted in Grange Extension.
26 It shall be the responsibility of the owners of grave spaces or their
representatives to remove any flowers or wreaths placed on graves within six weeks of Interment. All artificial flowers shall be removed from grave spaces within the said time period. All litter must be removed from the Cemetery by grave owners.
27 Memorial flowers will be permitted on headstone beam or plinth.
28 No articles of a non-Christian nature may be placed on graves.
29 The Cemetery committee may move/remove items at their discretion to ensure good management of the Cemetery.
30 No tomb, monument, headstone, tablet or permanent structure of any
description or material shall be erected or constructed on any place of burial in the Cemetery, unless and until the structure and design has been approved in writing by the Cemetery committee and the exclusive right of burial has been purchased and has been paid for in full.
31 No person shall write any word or symbol upon any monument which would give rise to public offence.
32 The Heights of any structure proposed shall not exceed 1.2m (4 ft 6 ins)
including the beam and shall not exceed 0.9m (3ft) in width. Kerbs up to a
height of 15 cm (6 ins) will be permitted in older burial grounds.
33 An exception in the case exists where a Celtic Cross is permitted once it does not exceed 2.13m (7ft), including the base, in height. All structures shall have reinforced concrete bases with dowels. The mark/number of the grave space shall be clearly identified on the face of the headstone base.
34 The removal of broken or other monuments is the responsibility of the grave space owner. The Cemetery Committee may take down and remove any monument, headstone, kerb, tablet or other object which may have been placed at any time within the Cemetery, either with or without authority, which may have fallen into decay, or which, in the opinion of the committee, is not being maintained or has become a nuisance, health and safety risk or a danger to users of the Cemetery or which has been erected in breach of these Rules and Regulations. In such cases the Committee may recover the cost of any such removal from the grave space owner(s) or their representatives by a simple contract debt.
35 The grave owner must visit or charge a representative with the responsibility to inspect the grave and arrange to weed and remedy any health and safety risks.
36 No person should sell or offer or expose for sale any articles, commodity or thing of any kind whatsoever or solicit for orders for the same within the
cemetery . Any person soliciting orders within the cemeteries for the erection or repair of memorials will be required to leave the cemeteries and will not be admitted again without the permission of the Cemetery committee.
37 The use of still, cine and television cameras is strictly prohibited at or near any grave space before, during or after an Interment. Such equipment shall not be used to photograph mourners or any part of a funeral cortege within the Cemetery without the prior consent of the Cemetery Committee and the family.
38 All persons carrying out work within the Cemetery will have due regard to and shall comply fully with the provisions of the Health and Safety Legislation.
39 No persons shall engage in works in any of the cemeteries, except where
expressly requested by the committee (including sculptors and landscape
workers) without first producing evidence of the existence of current public
liability insurance.
40 Any damage done to lawns, grave spaces, walls, drives, trees, shrubs or other property must be repaired by those persons causing such damage.

These Rules may be updated from time to time.
These Rules were adopted by the Pastoral Council and the Finance Committee of the
Parish of Bruff Grange Meanus.
Dated the 1st day September, 2020.
Signed:_________________ ____________________
On behalf of Pastoral Council on behalf of Finance Committee