The family usually prefer to remove the flowers after the funeral as they become unsightly, but if they are not cleared after 14 days, the cemetery staff will dispose of them for you. Cemetery staff will remove Christmas wreaths, which remain on graves after 31st January.
This document is issued when a person has purchased the sole right to bury in a grave for a period of years, although the council retains actual ownership of the land. The grant should be retained in a safe place, as it may be required if a memorial is erected or if they grave is re-opened.
Most graves are now situated on Lawn Sections where memorials consist of headstones only, although one vase is permitted next to the headstone. The remainder of the grave is turfed and maintained by Cemetery Staff.
As it is necessary to gain access with mowers, some restriction on planting is necessary on Lawn Sections. On full-size graves a combined area of 4ft. x 2ft. running along the line of headstones must accommodate the memorial, flower containers and any planting. However, it is often possible to plant a small area to the sides of the headstone.
On miniature graves provided for cremated remains, there is usually insufficient space for planting after a memorial has been erected, but a vase may be incorporated in, or placed on, the memorial base.
Flower containers of glass or pottery are unsuitable as they quickly break and become dangerous.
Applications to erect any memorial, including an inscribed vase must be submitted to the Cemetery Office for approval. Most stonemasons are conversant with the various Cemetery regulations and they will help you to complete and submit your application for a memorial. In many cases the ground may require several months to settle and make a firm foundation for the memorial, but you can make enquiries with stonemasons at any time.
Following the interment in a new grave whether it is a full cremated remains or babies’ grave, a temporary plot marker will automatically be placed on the grave normally on the same day as the interment. It will be removed when it is replaced by a permanent memorial.
We place temporary plot markers, complete with grave numbers and name, on new graves to assist you in locating the grave. Many stonemasons will provide a vase until the headstone is erected. Wooden crosses are not permitted, but if you have any problem in locating the grave, staff at the Cemetery Office will be pleased to help you.
As maintenance of the memorial remains the responsibility of the owner, it is wise to consider insurance against damage. Ask your stonemason if you would like further details.
It may take many months for the ground to settle and sometimes, especially after heavy rain, sudden subsidence may occur. Cemetery Staff periodically check and attend to such graves, but if your are concerned, please notify the Cemetery Office.
To remove the soil completely from these areas would require the use of heavy plant equipment, which would inevitably cause damage travelling across graves. If soil is placed on another grave, the surface and memorial are first protected by boards. The soil remains only for a few days and is cleared immediately after the funeral.