Memorials in churchyards, reservation of gravespaces and Gardens of Remembrance
The Chancellor of the Diocese has issued Regulations concerning churchyards and Gardens of Remembrance.
They include: -
1. Memorials which may be authorised by incumbents without a faculty under delegated powers from the Chancellor
2. Memorials for which a faculty is required
3. Designs and features not permitted
4. Flowers
5. Gardens of Remembrance: -
- Creation
- Memorial plaques
- Re-use
The full set of Regulations can be downloaded below. Alternatively, shorter summary notes for Clergy and Families have been produced, which are also below.
A. Installing a memorial in the churchyard
If you wish to apply to install a memorial that is entirely consistent with the Regulations, you should complete the form " " in either Word or pdf format and then send it to the local priest of the churchyard concerned.
If your proposed memorial is in any way not consistent with the Regulations, you should use the "Memorial Petition form" in either Word or pdf format and send it, accompanied by the fee of £174.40 (as at 1 January 2012) {cheques payable to Rotherham and Co}, to: -
Mrs M H Allanson LLB(Hons)
Diocesan Registrar
Rotherham and Co
8 & 9 The Quadrant
Coventry
CV1 2EH
T: 024 7622 7331
E: mailto:m.allanson@rotherham-solicitors.co.uk
B. Reservation of gravespaces (for burial)
If you wish to reserve a gravespace in a churchyard, you should complete the "Reservation of gravespace" application form, in either Word or pdf format, and send it to the Diocesan Registrar (see address above).
C. Gardens of Remembrance
Any PCC wishing to create or extend a Garden of Remembrance should read the relevant section in the Churchyard Regulations and then make an application for Advice or a Certificate ising the appropriate form available on the Faculty Procedures page of the DAC section of this website.
The DAC will want to know where the Garden of Remembrance will be located (or extended to), how it will be demarked, details of the Book of Remembrance that will be in the church (and where it will go and its display case), and whether there will be a marker stone (and, if so, details of its type, size, location and inscription).
D. Churchyards Maintenance and Safety
Guidance has been issued on Churchyards Maintenance and Safety. The guidance can be seen below.
The Leicester Diocesan Chancellor has issued guidance on memorial safety in churchyards and public cemeteries following recent developments - this is applicable to Coventry and Leicester Dioceses. The guidance can be downloaded below.
The Local Government Ombudsman has also produced a report on Memorial Safety in Cemeteries and his report is downloadable below. In addition, the Ministry of Justice has also produced guidance on this subject, which can be found below.
English Heritage has also now produced guidance on maintaining historic graveyard / cemetery monuments which can be downloaded below
A. Churchyard Regulations and General Guidance
| Name | Description | Download |
| Churchyard Regulations - A Guidance Note for Families 16th Sep 2010 |
A Guidance Note for families summarising the types of memorials that are normally acceptable |  31.39KB |
| Churchyard Regulations - Diocese of Coventry 30th Mar 2012 |
The Churchyard Regulations of the Coventry Diocesan Chancellor | 58.9KB |
| Churchyards and the Possible re-use of Grave Sites 16th Oct 2007 |
Guidance of the re-use of existing burial sites | 38.05KB |
A1. Memorials or Additional Inscription to an Existing Memorial entirely consistent with the Chancellor's Regulations
| Name | Description | Download |
| Application Form 26th Jan 2011 |
Application Form in pdf format | 15.74KB |
| Application Form 26th Jan 2011 |
Application Form in MS Word format |  46KB |
| Guidance Note for Clergy 30th Mar 2011 |
Guidance Note for Clergy on the types of memorials that are normally acceptable | 22.09KB |
A2. Memorials or Additional inscription to an existing Memorial not in any way consistent with the Chancellor's Regulations
| Name | Description | Download |
| Application Form for Memorial outside the Chancellor's Regulations 16th Oct 2007 |
Application Form in MS Word format | 60.5KB |
| Application Form for Memorial outside the Regulations 16th Oct 2007 |
Application Form in pdf format | 42.69KB |
B. Reservation of Gravespaces
| Name | Description | Download |
| Application form to reserve a Grave Space 3rd May 2011 |
Application form to reserve a Grave Space in Word format | 31.5KB |
| Application form to reserve a Grave Space 3rd May 2011 |
Application form to reserve a Grave Space in pdf format | 25.21KB |
D. Churchyards Maintenance and Safety
| Name | Description | Download |
| Churchyards: Maintenance and Safety 16th Oct 2007 |
Guidance on the maintenance and safety issues in a churchyard | 39.45KB |
| Maintenance of historic graveyard / cemetery monuments 4th Jan 2012 |
Guidance issued by English Heritage | 2.05MB |
| Memorial Safety in Cemeteries 16th Oct 2007 |
Report by the Local Government Ombudsman | 2.23MB |