Cemetery Guide

Introduction

Lanner Lawn Cemetery is owned and managed by Lanner Parish Council.  This guide aims to provide you with information about the cemetery and various aspects relating to burials. It also explains the responsibilities of owners of the rights over grave spaces at the cemetery.

The Lawn Cemetery was opened in 2001 and provides for burials and the interment of ashes. In 2020 an extension was completed which also offers space for “natural” or humanist burials.

The cemetery is tucked beyond the now ‘closed’ Churchyard, opposite Christchurch in Rough Street. Pedestrian access is via the lychgate, where a few steps and a grass pathway lead you up to the Lawn Cemetery entrance. A recently completed vehicular access is available by request which facilitates the entrance of a hearse and following cars and a turning head assists smooth vehicular movements. The new area affords additional space for burial and offers a dedicated space for Natural Burial too.

To provide a place for quiet contemplation a ‘Garden of Reflection’ was created. Complete with soft planting, seating, and central focus of a specially commissioned armillary sundial, the inscription invites you to ‘take time to rest and reflect on your joys’. Visitors value this spot which also affords good views across the valley to Carn Marth.

The designated ‘lawn’ cemetery aims to achieve a satisfactory standard without excessive cost. The only ornamentation permitted on a grave is a headstone.  This allows mowing of the grass to be carried out uniformly, respectfully, and efficiently. It is appreciated that many people visiting a grave may wish to express their respect with other mementoes but, to maintain a high standard of appearance and an overall harmony and tranquillity, this is not possible.

Those wishing to reserve a burial plot within the cemetery can do so and purchase can be made for the period of 50 or 100 years. Please see table of fees for applicable charges.

If you would like to know more or have any questions, please contact the Clerk.

Visiting

Council welcomes all to the Cemetery, only asking visitors to respect the peace and dignity of these facilities as well as other users. This is a communal space for us to reflect and remember our loved ones. To preserve the tranquillity please ensure that mobile phones are switched to silent.

Please note that whilst dogs are permitted in the cemetery they must be kept on a lead at all times without exception. Please clean up after your dog.

Children visiting the cemetery should be accompanied and supervised by an adult.

Litter bins are not provided. It is expected that visitors will take their litter home e.g. ribbon or plastic wrappings left within bunches of flowers.

We thank you in advance for your co-operation.

Council is dedicated to providing excellent maintenance of these facilities and would ask that you make yourself familiar with these simple regulations. If you are unsure on any aspect you can seek clarification from the Clerk who will be pleased to assist.

Arranging the funeral of a loved one

Details of how to arrange a funeral are available from the Registrar when registering the death and you will be able to select a Funeral Director from the local area. You can decide on either a full burial or a cremation and although less usual, you may make arrangements for the funeral without using a funeral director.

The funeral service can be religious, humanist or a civil ceremony. It can be in a local church, at the crematorium or a simple graveside service.

If you choose cremation, the decision on the burial of the ashes does not need to be made immediately.

Please note that it is a legal requirement that no burial or interment or scattering of ashes may take place at Lanner Lawn Cemetery without the permission of the Parish Council.

Fees

A list of fees and charges relating to the Cemetery can be found on the Lanner Parish Council website www.lanner.org.uk, or at the Parish Council office. All fees and charges must be paid on the submission of the relevant paperwork. Fees are payable either by Bank Transfer or Cheque made payable to Lanner Parish Council. Receipts for all payments will be given to the account holder.

Grave Rights

On the purchase of a lease on a burial or cremation plot you will be issued a Deed of Grant for Exclusive Right of Burial in that plot. The Deed of Grant is an important document and should be kept in a safe place. An Exclusive Right of Burial can be issued in more than one name. This Deed will need to be produced whenever any business concerning the plot is undertaken, such as organising a funeral or interment for cremated remains or ordering a memorial headstone

As the named lease holder, you are solely or jointly responsible for ensuring that the rules of Lanner Lawn Cemetery are complied with in respect to the plot.

Interment

Following an initial telephone call, written notice on the Parish Council’s interment forms must be submitted to the Parish Council Office. All particulars must be clear and complete on the notice of interment to avoid any delays or errors on the day. The Certificate of Burial or cremation or the Coroner’s Order for burial along with the appropriate fee must be submitted with the interment form.

The grave digging will be organised by or through the Funeral Director or Parish Council office. No burial will take place until the Registrar’s certificate of disposal or the Coroner’s Order for burial has been lodged with the Clerk.

The carrying of coffins is permitted within the Cemetery. Any mourner who assists with bearing the coffin does so at their own risk and Council cannot accept responsibility for any injuries that may be caused as a result of carrying a coffin within the Cemetery.

Cremated remains

If cremation is chosen, you will receive the ashes at some time following the cremation, either in a casket or an urn. You may choose to bury the ashes at any time in the future either through your funeral director, or, if you prefer, privately through the Parish Council.

The cemetery is laid out for the burial of ashes where the rights to the space are again purchased and the ashes buried in the casket or urn. The owner of this space then has the right to place a memorial, on the grave with the Council’s formal permission.

Please note that it is a legal requirement that ashes may only be buried or scattered in any part of the cemetery with the authorisation of the Parish Council and in the presence of a person authorised by the Clerk and the Certificate of Cremation handed to the person so authorised.

Memorials

A temporary memorial or tribute may be placed on a grave until a permanent memorial is placed or for up to a maximum of 12 months.

Permission must be obtained from the Parish Council before any memorial or other physical feature is erected on a grave, or before any additional inscription is added to a memorial. No memorial may be erected without the permission of the owner of the exclusive right.

Headstones may not be erected until at least 6 months after the date of burial. This is to allow a sufficient period for the ground to settle to ensure maximum stability for the headstone.

All memorials must be erected in accordance with NAMM (National Association of Memorial Masons) or BRAMM (British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons) recommended codes of practice and must be installed in full accordance with BS8415.

All memorials shall be kept in good repair by their owners, and if not kept in good repair may be repaired or laid flat by the Parish Council at the expense of the owner. The Council shall not be responsible for any damage or breakage which may occur through any cause whatsoever including vandalism or storm.

Kerb Sets and other forms of grave surround, including all types of edging materials, protruding above ground level, are not permitted. Further information on types of memorials permitted can be obtained from the Clerk.

No railings, chains or fencing of any description or any other similar inappropriate item will be allowed as any part of a memorial and the Council reserves the right to remove these items when undertaking grounds maintenance.

Permanent memorials may not be installed unless the grave space has been purchased by the person applying for the memorial, the express permission of the Parish Council has been received, and the necessary fee paid.

It is the responsibility of the owner of the grave to keep any memorial in good repair so that it is safe. If any owner fails to fulfil these obligations the Parish Council reserves the right to make good any deficiency including, if necessary, the removal of any memorial or other object for which, when applicable, the owner will be charged.

No one other than a person acting with accredited authority such as a funeral director or memorial mason shall dig or carry out memorial mason work in the cemetery.

Temporary wooden crosses erected by the funeral directors may remain on the grave for a maximum period of 12 months following which they will be removed.

The Parish Council reserves the right to remove vases, plastic and silk flowers, and any other inappropriate ornaments from graves and to dispose of wreaths, sprays and similar fresh flowers once these have perished.

Natural Burial

Natural burial differs in the most part from conventional burial in that traditional headstones are not used.

Instead a living memorial is created by ensuring the creation of an area that is peaceful, pleasant, ecologically rich and a fitting memorial.

Regulations

The following regulations are made to enable Lanner Parish Council to shape, create and preserve a natural area for the benefit of nature and for future generations of visitors. These regulations are essential to combine a proper respect for the dead, with a suitable management and planting programme in order to create an area that is peaceful, pleasant, ecologically rich and a fitting memorial.

To support us in this endeavour please respect the following guidelines:

• All internments will be of single depth and double graves are arranged by the purchase of adjacent rights.
• Unless previously approved, no seed may be scattered on the burial ground. (Many seeds sold commercially as ‘wild’ or ‘woodland’ have inappropriate species within the mixture or come from abroad.)
• To support the generation of a natural landscape picking flowers or shrubs, or the unauthorised planting of any flowers or shrubs is prohibited.
• Construction or maintenance of ‘flower beds’ is not permitted.
• No naturally germinated seedlings apart from bramble, thistle, nettle or dock may be weeded from the plots.
• A plan of the natural burial ground, giving the situation of each grave, is open for inspection and may be viewed during normal office hours by appointment.
• This area is being developed to encourage a natural landscape; therefore, the erection of any monuments, kerbs, fences, railings or sunken vases are not permitted.
• To support the ethos of natural internment coffins and/or shrouds must be of natural material and consistent with environmentally friendly policies. (Veneer, for example, is not permitted)
• Bodies must not be embalmed.
• The excavation of graves will be arranged between the Funeral Director and Clerk. However, if families wish to undertake backfilling this can be arranged on request.
• Following internment temporary floral tributes may be placed at the grave but to support the development of natural ground cover these will be removed after a period of three weeks. Such tributes must be constructed using natural products and not formed with oasis and plastic trays.
• The area will be disturbed as little as possible at the time of each interment and wild flowers and wild life will be actively encouraged to become established in the area.
• Grass cutting in this area is only done as part of a planned programme and to create pathways so that mourners and the local community can use and appreciate the area.
• Although the greatest care is taken to safeguard the wellbeing of all the trees, bushes, shrubs and plants some will fail to thrive, and Council will manage the area appropriately and in the interest of ecological benefit.

Maintenance of the Cemetery

The Parish Council carries out the grass cutting and groundwork maintenance within the Cemetery. No other person is permitted to mow or strim within the Cemetery grounds.

No person may plant any trees, plants or bulbs within any area of the cemetery without the permission of the Parish Council.

Maintenance of the actual grave is the responsibility of the owner of the grave space.

The Parish Council reserves the right to carry out levelling or infilling of graves where necessary until such time as the settlement of the ground has ceased.

Weather conditions may affect the timing of groundwork maintenance within the cemetery.

The Parish Council reserves the right to remove any neglected, damaged, decayed or faded tributes as well as unauthorised articles such as fences, chains and ornaments that are not an integral part of a memorial.

All Christmas wreaths are to be removed by the end of January.

Records

The location of graves is recorded on the cemetery plans, and the register of burials in accordance with the Registration of Burials Act 1864, Births and Deaths Registration Act 1926 and 1953, Registration of Births and Deaths Regulations 1987. The records are available to view at the Parish Council office by arrangement and a small administration charge may be incurred for any research requests that are submitted.

For further information please contact the Clerk on 01209 200551, email clerk@lannerparishcouncil.co.uk or visit us at the Parish Office Lanner Village Hall 9 Lanner Hill Lanner TR16 6DB.

Alternatively, you can visit our website: www.lanner.org.uk