Churchyard

You can type your postcode into A Church Near You website to find out which ecclesiastical parish you live in.

If approached, the Rector will always try to arrange a Church of England funeral service for any Lapworth resident, whether or not they attended church. This can be in the church or at a crematorium.  People can also request other ministers or celebrants to take burial services in St Mary’s churchyard.

It is the responsibility of the family to arrange a gravedigger for churchyard burials. This is usually done through the undertakers. It is possible for graves to be dug double depth to allow a second person, typically a spouse, to be buried in the same grave at a later date.

Please note, in the weeks after a burial the ground settles. Therefore, the grave may need to be filled in further at a later date. Once again, this should be organised by the family. After settlement the ground over the grave should be level with the surrounding ground, and so easy to mow.

We have a separate area for interment of ashes. In general, the same regulations apply. In Church of England churchyards scattering of ashes is not allowed.  We insist that ashes are interred in a dignified way in a particular plot which can be identified in our burial registers. We discourage families from dividing ashes between different locations; it is much better to inter the ashes all together in a churchyard.

For the internment of ashes, St Mary’s can often arrange for a local gardener to dig the plot at a much lower cost than a gravedigger. Please ask the Rector for details.

Once buried in a churchyard it is presumed that this is the final resting place for a body or set of ashes. It is possible to apply to the Chancellor of the Diocese for a faculty to exhume a body or ashes, but such faculties are only granted in exceptional circumstances.

Acquiring a memorial:

It is usually best to acquire a memorial through local stonemasons as they know and understand the local churchyard rules. Local stonemasons include Bannocks and Pollards.  Some undertakers also offer stonemason services. The stonemason agrees a design for the monument with the family, and then applies to the Rector for permission to install it. Once installed the monument becomes part of the churchyard, but maintenance of the memorial remains a family responsibility. It is important to choose memorials that are easy to look after in the long term.

Memorial Regulations:

Memorials must follow the Churchyard Regulations.

Memorials at Burial Plots:

• • • Monuments must be in the shape of an upright headstone or a book and basically rectangular. Monuments shaped like hearts, figures or urns are not permitted.
    • Monuments should be made of a natural stone or grey granite; the Churchyard Regulations do not allow the Rector to approve monuments that are made of black granite or marble.
    • The face bearing the inscription may be polished, but only for granite stones.
    • There are detailed regulations about bases and foundation stones (please see B4 of the Churchyard Regulations).
    • Rectangular flat slabs lying flush with the ground may also be installed over graves.
    • Permanent wooden crosses should be in English Oak and applied for like stone monuments.
    • Pictures, photos or any kind of lighting are not permitted.

Memorials at Cremation plots:

• • • Cremation plots are usually marked with plaques that are no bigger than 18 inches by 12 and installed flat with the ground.
    • We ask that cremation plaques be honed not polished to have a matt appearance.

Inscriptions:

• • • Inscriptions should include the full names and dates of the person buried.
    • Inscriptions should not be coloured. Black, white and grey lettering are acceptable.
    • We do not allow excessively long inscriptions.
    • The makers name should not be included on the headstone.
    • Incised carvings must be agreed by the Chancellor of the diocese.
    • ‘Additional Inscriptions’ can be added to monuments after a second burial in the same grave, sometimes many years after the first.

The churchyard regulations do change over time. Due to these changes in regulations (and faculties and anomalies!) it cannot be assumed that a feature seen on an existing monument will be approved on a new monument. For example, gilded lettering has not been authorised on new monuments for many years, but is still seen on older monuments.

We understand that these regulations may seem quite restrictive. However, we believe that these measures help families to find suitable memorials for their loved ones, and over time these contribute significantly to the pleasant appearance of the churchyard.

It is possible to apply to the Chancellor of the diocese for a faculty to allow a memorial that goes beyond the scope of the Churchyard Regulations. However, the Chancellor usually requires an extremely good reason before granting such faculties.

Lapworth PCC pay for the churchyard to be mown every two weeks throughout the grass growing season. To make mowing as straight forward as possible, the churchyard regulations require that horizontal graves must be laid level with the ground and not mounded, and that gravel and chippings are not used on graves.

Lapworth PCC also regularly organises Churchyard Working Parties where parishioners are invited to come and work in the churchyard, bringing their own tools and equipment. Churchyard Working Parties typically take place in March and October and are advertised in the Parish Magazine. The event usually lasts from 10am until 3pm, including breaks for refreshments and a free lunch! We welcome all volunteers, including new volunteers and those that can only give an hour or so.