The booklet on which this page is based can be obtained from the Parish Office.

The booklet was prepared by
the Team Rector and PCC of the Parish of South Gillingham
in consultation with
Weir Memorials and Comfort Memorials

PLEASE REMEMBER

The guidelines contained on this page are complementary to the Diocesan Regulations, which can be obtained from the Funeral Director or Stone Mason dealing with your enquiry.
(A copy of the regulations is also given at the end of this page).
There are also copies in the Parish Office and in the Vestry at St Peter's Church.
Local funeral directors and Stone Masons will know that they have to work within the bounds of the Diocesan Regulations.

We hope that you will find these guidelines helpful to you as you make your choice of memorial stone and that together we can continue to preserve the beauty of our churchyard so that it will remain a place of peace and tranquility, as well as a habitat for scarce plants and other wildlife.   We also hope that as far as possible distress and disappointment can be avoided.

 

PROCEDURE

A minimum period of six months should elapse between the burial of the person to be commemorated and the erection of a memorial.

No work shall be carried out without the written consent of the Team Rector.  Applications should be made in the first instance on the standard application form CR1.  This will include a full description of what is proposed, including design of monument measurements, materials, inscriptions and other relevant particulars.

 

DIMENSIONS

Headstones will be broadly rectangular in shape ( ogee, rounded and square tops are acceptable.)

(See the Memorials page for pictures of other styles that have been allowed or go to the “What is not allowed” page.

Headstones must be:

No more than 1200mm (4'01') high measured from the surface of the ground.
No less than 750mm (2'6") high measured from the
surface of the ground.
No more than 900mm (3'0") wide
No less than 500mm (1'8") wide
No more than 150mm (6") thick
No less than 75mm (3") thick

 

BASE AND FOUNDATION SLAB

Headstones may be so shaped that they can be inserted directly into the ground at sufficient depth to ensure stability. or they may be fixed to a base and foundation slab - on an integral base not more than 900mm (3;Of') wide, nor projecting more than 50mm (2") in any direction, nor more than 22Smm (9") high;  on a vase base not more than 900mm (3'0") wide, nor projecting more than 75mm (3") on either side, nor projecting more than 200mm (8")in front of the headstone.

The base itself, measuring no more than 2500mm (10") overall from front to back, shall be securely fixed on a foundation slab of concrete which should be fixed flush with or just below the surface of the turf so that a mower may pass freely over it.  The foundation slab shall extend beyond the base by between 75 to 125mm (3” to 5”) all round.
A standard size of memorial stone may be - 750mm (2'6") high x 600mm (2') wide x 75mm (3") thick with the base measuring 75mm (3") thick x 750mm (2'6") wide x2500mm (8'2") deep (i.e. from front to back).

These guidelines are designed to ensure safety.

Stone Masons follow a professional code suggested by The National Association of Memorial Masons –NAMM and The Guild of Master Craftsmen -GMC.

It is agreed that two concrete foundation slabs give more stability and are not so easily "shaken" or moved if someone puts weight on them.

 

MATERIALS

Please choose from Natural Weathering Stones, such as:

Nabresina
Portland
York
Hopton Wood
Purbeck

Slate is also allowed

Your Stone Mason will have samples to show you

We regret that marble and granite cannot be allowed.

 

SCULPTURE, DESIGNS AND FINISH

Please keep plain and simple with the following in mind:-

(a) no pictorial representations of the deceased or religious figures should be carved or sandblasted onto the stone
(b) no photographs
(c) no figured statuary
(d) no stones to be in the form of an open book or heart
(e) no kerbs, railings, plain or coloured chipping's
(f) the shape of a cross may be acceptable but a high standard of design is required
(g) stones should not be polished

Go back to the Memorials page for examples of what is allowed

Go to the “What is not allowed” page

INSCRIPTIONS

The Christian names and surname of the deceased may be given with age and date (or year) of death, or dates of birth and death.

The wording of any epitaph must be approved by the Team Rector.

Lettering should be incised and be either left natural or coloured black or grey.

We are NOT able to allow gilt lettering

No advertisement or any trademark may be inscribed on any monument.  However, the name of the Stone Mason may be inscribed low down on the side or reverse of the stone in unpainted and unleaded letters no larger than 15mm ( 1.5") in height.

 

CARE OF THE GRAVE FOLLOWING BURIAL

Wreaths and cut flowers may be laid on a grave, but must be removed as soon as they have withered.
No artificial flowers are allowed.
Bulbs and small plants may be planted in the soil of a grave,
but unless they are kept tidy, will be mown over.
Trees and shrubs are not permitted.
No ornaments, statuettes or additional monuments of any kind may be placed on a grave at the time of burial and afterwards.

The Parochial Church Council reserves the right to remove anything from the churchyard which contravenes these regulations.

 

ENQUIRIES

All enquiries in the first instance to

The Team Rector
Rev Christopher Butt
The Rectory, Drewery Drive,
Wigmore, ME8 ONX
Tel. 01634 231071

or

The Parish Administrator at The Parish Office

 

The Official Rules

This is only an extract. The full regulations may be viewed at the Parish Office.

D6 CHURCHYARD REGULATONS 1981

1. Burial in the Churchyard
(a) The parishioners (including all those on the Church Electoral Roll) and others who die in the parish have a right of burial in the churchyard if there is one and if there is room .
(b) The incumbent may also grant permission for burial therein of other persons at his discretion (but see above, P.29) .
(c) A grave space may be reserved by Faculty but not otherwise.
(d) Neither the reservation of a grave space, nor the exercise of the right of burial, nor the erection of a monument confers any right of ownership upon the churchyard. The whole churchyard is vested in the incumbent alone, and the erection of any monument is a privilege.

2. The Chancellor’s Jurisdiction and the Incumbent’s Delegated Powers
(a) Nothing shall be erected or placed in a churchyard or be removed there from and no work carried out therein without Faculty granted by the Chancellor of the Diocese or, in cases where the Chancellor's authority is specifically delegated to him as set out in paragraph 3 below, the written consent of the incumbent of the parish. (Where the benefice is vacant such delegated authority is vested in the Priest- in-Charge, or, if none in the Rural Dean).
(b) Every application shall be made in the first instance in writing, in duplicate to the incumbent using the Form (CR1) approved by the Chancellor and obtainable from the Diocesan Office. If the application comes within the limits set out in paragraph 3 and if the incumbent approves, the incumbent may give his consent to the application. If, however, the application is not within his power to grant or if he does not think fit, in his discretion, to approve it, he will so inform the applicant, signifying his decision in either case on Form CRl where indicated. In the event of the Incumbent being unable or unwilling to give his consent, the applicant may, if he wishes, petition the Chancellor for a Faculty. A form of petition may be obtained from the Registrar of the Diocese, Diocesan Registry, The Precinct, Rochester, Kent MEl lSZ. (See description of Faculty Procedure on page 128.)
(c) In the event of any monument, tombstone or other memorial being erected or being placed in the churchyard, without the written consent of the incumbent or a Faculty granted by the Chancellor (as the case may be) , those responsible may be required to remove the same and pay the costs of the legal proceedings compelling them to do so.

3. The Extent of the Incumbent’s Delegated Authority The Chancellor of the Diocese has delegated to the incumbent authority to permit the introduction of the following monuments which comply with the following requirements:-
(a) Design
(i) Simple headstones not more than 4 feet (1200mm) high, 3 feet (900mm) wide and 6 inches (150 mm) thick, nor less than 2 feet 6 inches (750 mm) high, 1 foot 8 inches (500 mm) wide and 3 inches (75 mm) thick.
Note: A base forming an integral part of the design of the headstone is permitted and may, if thought appropriate, incorporate a vase for flowers, such vase being so arranged that the top of it is level with or below the surface of the base. A base shall not project more than 2 inches (50 mm) beyond the headstone in any direction, except where a vase is incorporated when the base may extend a maximum of 8 inches (200 mm) in front of the headstone. The base itself shall be securely fixed on a foundation slab (preferably of concrete) which shall be fixed flush with or just below the surface of the turf so that a mower may pass freely over it. The foundation slab shall extend beyond the base by between 3 and 5 inches (75 to 125 mm) all round.
(ii) Crosses not more than 4 feet 6 inches (1,350 mm) high, 2 feet (600 mm) wide and 4 inches (100 mm) thick. No cross shall stand on more than 2 steps; the step, or the lower of 2 steps, shall measure no more than 2 feet (600 mm) from side to side and 1 foot (300 mm) from front to back. A cross shall stand on a suitable foundation flush with or below the surface of the turf.
Note: An incumbent should not readily exercise his discretion to consent to a cross, the supreme Christian symbol, for crosses have been too freely used in burial grounds in the past. He should, in any event, require a high standard of design for a monument in this form.
(iii) Horizontal ledgers either flush with the turf or raised not more 9 inches (225mm) above a base, which should be flush with the turf and extend not less than 3 inches (75mm) all round the ledger. Inclusive measurements shall be not more than 7 feet (2,100mm) by 3 feet (900mm).
(iv) As an alternative to a headstone, natural stone vases or urns measuring not more than 12 inches x 8 inches x 8 inches (300 x 200 x 200 mm).
(v) No monument shall include any kerbs, railings, plain or coloured chippings, figured statuary, pictorial etchings or photographic representations, or be in the form of an open book or a heart.
(b) Materials
(i) Monuments must be in weathering natural or slate, or hard wood. Care should be taken to see that stones blend with setting of the church, churchyard and locality. Stones shall not be mirror polished or polished beyond a good smooth finish.
(ii) No monument shall be of red, black or dark grey granite, marble, synthetic stone or plastic.
(c) Inscriptions
(i) The Christian and surname of the deceased should be given, with age and date (or year) of death or, of birth and death. The terms of any epitaph should be approved by the incumbent and valuable advice is contained in Chapter 12 of the Churchyards Hand Book (3rd Ed.) published by CIO Publishing, Church House, Dean's Yard, London SW1P 3NZ. Lettering, preferably incised, should not be gilded or silvered. If the incumbent cannot accept the proposed wording of an inscription he must so advise the applicant who may, if he wishes, petition for a Faculty.
(ii) No advertisement or trade mark shall be inscribed on any monument but the name of the mason may be inscribed low down on the side of verse or reverse of the stone in unpainted and unleaded letters no larger than a half inch (15mm) in height.