Cemetery regulations

Every memorial should be fixed on a foundation of natural, pre-cast stone, or concrete. They should be correctly supported in one piece of the same size at the base of the monument or memorial. They should not be smaller than 3" thick. If top of the foundation or sub-base is level with the ground around it, the supporting piece should be no smaller than 2".

On traditional plots the sub-base may be of so wide that it can bridge the grave and rest on undisturbed ground. The sub-base must still be sunk into the ground so that its top surface is level with the ground level around it.

All joints must be properly cemented and cramped, joggled, or dowelled. Cramps or dowels must be made of solid copper or heavily galvanised steel. They should be no smaller than three eighths of an inch in diameter.

There must be at least two 2 dowels for each dowelled joint.

Headstones shall be made from a single piece of stone. They can have natural stone, lead, or bronze set in as a part of the design or inscription. This should not reduce the thickness of the main body of the headstone to a size smaller than 2" (or 1" for Children's Graves). The set in material must not be raised out the surface of the headstone by more than ½" and must be contained in the total size of the headstone.

The bases of all monuments or memorials shall be mad of a single piece of stone. These may be drilled to allow up to 2 flower containers.

A headstone must be fixed so that its rear edge side is set 2" from the edge side of the base. If the headstone is bigger than 2'6" this size should be 2 ½" from the rear edge face.

A monument or memorial must be cut from the best quarried natural stone and must be durable and sound.

A memorial is not allowed if it is made of something artificial. This includes re-constituted (except figures), Bath, Soft Caen, soft York other soft stone, or coloured marble. Memorials of wood, metal, pottery, plastic, glass, or fibreglass are not allowed and will be removed.

Photos and picture plaques, no bigger than 4" high and 3 ½" wide (or the same metric size) may be fixed to headstones only. Frames of bronze or other material are not allowed.

A monument or memorial shall be inscribed with its grave number. The numbers or letters should not be bigger than 1" in high. They should be the same style as the main wording. The grave number should be made on the right-hand side of the front of the cremated ashes base, tablet, or on the front face of the plinth for a memorial vase. Grave numbers should not be made in any other way.

The memorial masons company name can be made or set in the same way as the main inscription. The words or letters should not be bigger than ½ “high. This may be made on either left of right-side face. This is not allowed on the front face of the base.

Only the surname of the deceased shall be allowed on the rear face of the monument or memorial.

No hewing or dressing of stone, unless to make the wording or to clean the stone, is allowed in the Cemetery.

All materials and equipment should be brought into the cemetery safely. Items brought in should come in carefully to stop any damage to walks, paths, roads, or turfed areas. Soil or rubbish materials shall be removed in a safe and careful way. Mats, boards, or canvas should be used to stop damage to areas where work is being done.

Memorial masons or other people working for the grave owner should follow guidance given by the cemetery manager and:

1. at the cost of the owner fill up and level the ground, which might happen because of the work
2. carry out the work during the opening hours of the cemetery office. Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm
3. provide their own tools and equipment for the removal of any monument or memorial from the Cemetery

The manager must be told of any removal of a monument or memorial from the Cemetery.

If a memorial needs to move for a burial the grave owner will need to arrange this with a memorial mason. They memorial mason will also need to put it back when it is safe. There may be a cost for this. If the grave ground needs to be level, a memorial mason or grave owners worker will need to do this at their own cost.

Any person removing a monument or memorial to allow a burial of any type will need to arrange this with the cemetery manager. The cemetery manager will tell the person where this removed memorial will need to go.

An authorised memorial mason will need to put the headstone back. This is at the expense of the grave owner or family representative. Sometimes the stone may not be allowed to go back onto the grave for at least 1 year.

Any monument or memorial that is not allowed must be taken away at the cost to the grave owner, or the personal representative of the owner.

Any monument or memorial put up in the Cemetery stays there at the grave owner's risk. The memorial should be kept in a good condition by the owner of the grave, or their personal representative. The manager has the right to take away any monument or memorial which is dangerous or not allowed.

The manager can take away or prevent a memorial or monument that has not been well made, installed or causes a risk to safety. The manager may also take away memorials or monuments that may be upsetting to other people.