Thorney Parish Council Burial Authority

Lawn Cemetery Rules and regulations

The undermentioned Rules and Regulations shall apply to the Lawn Cemetery in addition to the existing General Rules and Regulations of the Burial Authority so far as the latter are not varied by or are not inconsistent with the former Rules and Regulations.

The portion of land at the south end of the Burial Ground at Whittlesey Road has been defined as a Lawn Cemetery by the Burial Authority and the following Regulations shall specifically apply as to the erection of Memorials, the placing of Flowers, etc., and maintenance of Graves in this portion of the Burial Ground.

1. No Grave or Vault in the Lawn Cemetery shall be raised by turfing or in any other manner above the level of the ground immediately adjoining.

2. As soon as convenient after the interment of a body in the Lawn Cemetery, the Burial Authority shall sow grass seed or turf over the whole area of the Grave with the exception of an area of 450mm deep and 1.1m long [1’ 6” deep and 4’ long] (the 1.1m being the width of the grave) at the head of each Adult Grave and 375mm deep and 900mm long [1’ 3” deep and 3’ long ](the 900mm being the width of the Grave) at the head of each Child’s Grave and no person, other than the duly authorised Servant or Officers of the Burial Authority, shall interfere with or alter the grassed area of the Grave.

3. The Burial Authority will maintain the whole area of the grass of the Lawn Cemetery and will keep clean and reserve the right to plant plants. No other person whatsoever, will have the right to plant plants or shrubs. The Burial Authority reserves the right to remove all objects of any description placed outside the confines of the headstone so as to obstruct or prevent the grass being cut and the area to be kept neat and tidy. Flowers will be removed after a 5-week period.

4. No trees, shrubs, plants, artificial wreaths, jars, vases or anything whatsoever, will be permitted on the area of grass.

5. No flat Stones laid horizontally, Memorials, metal vases, railings, fencing, kerbs or other structures enclosing graves, other than the Headstones and Vases (if desired) referred to in Rule 6 hereinafter mentioned shall be permitted to be erected on graves in the Lawn Cemetery.

6. All Memorials (with or without a Vase incorporated in the design) must be placed at the head of the grave and no Memorial or vase of any type may be placed elsewhere on the grave Space. A Headstone constructed of marble or granite only may be erected by the relatives in accordance with the following instructions:

6.1 HEADSTONES as MEMORIALS to Adults also CREMATED remains of persons interred in a full sized Grave space. BASE below and up to ground level. Length (across the width of the Grave) must not exceed 825mm (2 Feet 9 Inches). Depth must not be less than 100mm (4 Inches) in thickness. Width must not be less than 225mm (9 Inches) or more than 450mm (18 Inches). BASE above ground (must be placed in line with the others in the row) Length (across the width of Grave) must not exceed 600mm (2 Feet) Depth must not exceed 100mm (4 Inches) Width must not exceed 300mm (12 Inches) or be less than 375mm (9 Inches).

6.2 HEADSTONE (plain vertical as dimensional sketch No. 1) {note detail in imperial measurement} Height not to exceed 600mm (2 Feet) or be less than 450mm (1 Foot 6 Inches). Width not to exceed 525mm (1 Foot 9 Inches) or be less than 375mm (1 Foot 3 Inches). Thickness not to exceed 75mm (3 Inches).

7. No Memorial may be erected or placed upon a Grave without permission of the Burial Authority and applications, giving full details, must be submitted with diagrams to the Authority. Upon approval and the payment of the appropriate fees as prescribed by the Council’s Table of Fees, an official permit will be issued.

8. The turfing and maintenance of the lawn and the earth plots will be carried out by the Burial Authority at a cost of £75.00 (in the case of Children: F.O.C.) and in the case of Cremated remains: £75.00 for each Separate Grave space used for burial or purchased for future burial, payable to the Burial Authority before burial and before a grant is made for the purchase of the Exclusive Right of Burial as the case may be, for the maintenance of the Grave spaces for the term of 20 years from the date hereof or for such lesser period as the Cemetery remains the responsibility of the Burial Authority.

9. The fees, Payments and Sums from time to time fixed and settled under Section 214 and 215, L.G.A., 1972, by the Thorney Parish Council acting as the Burial Authority for the Parish of Thorney shall apply to the Lawn Cemetery as well as that part of the Burial Ground used for ordinary Graves.

10. These amended Regulations shall come into operation on the 13 November 2017 and shall supersede all previous Regulations and may be amended from time to time as the Burial Authority sees fit.

Cremated remains area – rules and regulations

The portion of land on the western side of the Burial Ground at Whittlesey Road has been defined as an area for cremated remains by the Burial Authority and the following regulations shall specifically apply as to the placements of memorials, the placing of flowers, etc., and maintenance of the graves in this portion of the Burial Ground:

1. No grave shall be raised by turfing or in any other manner, above the level of the ground immediately adjoining.

2. The Burial Authority will maintain the whole area of grass in the Cremated Remains Area.

3. No trees, shrubs, plants, artificial wreaths, jars, vases or anything whatsoever, will be permitted in this area.

4. All Memorials must consist of a flat tablet of approved construction measuring 300mm × 300mm (12 inches × 12 inches) and must be placed slightly below ground level to facilitate maintenance of the area.

5. No Memorial may be placed upon a grave without permission of the Burial Authority and applications giving full details must be submitted to the Authority. Upon approval and the payment of the appropriate fee as prescribed by the Council’s Table of Fees, an official permit will be issued.
6. Flowers will be allowed on the grave space for a short time, immediately after interment of the cremated remains and during the Christmas period. Flowers and Memorials will be removed after a 5week period. At all other times, all flowers must be placed in the appropriate containers alongside the wall. The Burial Authority reserves the right to remove all objects of any description placed outside the confines of the memorial stone so as to obstruct or prevent the grass being cut and the area to be kept neat and tidy.

7. The granite vaults to the left of the entrance can hold 2 cremated remains and the caskets for these must not exceed 264mm (high) × 165mm (wide) × 150mm (deep)

8. These Regulations come into operation on the 13 November 2017 and be amended by Thorney Parish Council from time to time.