RULES GOVERNING PARISH CEMETERY
1. This paper sets out the rules governing Graves and the Columbarium in the cemetery in The Parish of Drumbo and Carryduff (hereinafter referred to as “The Parish”).
2. A grave or a niche in the columbarium cannot be bought prior to the date of death.
A family cannot purchase a second grave or niche in the columbarium until the first grave or niche is filled.
Proof of death must be presented before interment.
The fee for a grave at 1 January 2012 is £600 and the cost of a niche in the columbarium is £750. The columbarium fee includes a granite plaque. These fees are subject to annual review.
3. The space allocated for a grave will be 2.4m x 1.2m. Graves will be opened consecutively and only with expressed permission of the Parish Management Committee. Depth of the grave is to be 2.7m from the existing ground surface, providing ground conditions permit. All graves shall be closed level with the existing ground and be finished with green turf. All surplus materials and refuse must be placed in skip(s) provided. Planting trees, shrubs or flowers is NOT permitted on the grave. Glass wreaths are strictly prohibited. Bouquets and wreaths must be removed when withered.
4. Headstones must be erected back to back. Width of headstones must not exceed 900mm. The height must not exceed 900mm above ground level. Permission to erect headstones must be requested from Parish Management Committee. Permission will be given by the Parish Management Committee when details of headstone are presented and accepted. The area in front of the headstone shall be kept clear for grass cutting and therefore plastic hoops or any form of surround or any memorial is not permitted and if erected will be removed.
5. The right to acquire a grave or a niche in the columbarium is confined to parishioners. A parishioner is defined as one whose permanent residence is within the parish boundaries. Please note a person in temporary care in the Parish whose permanent residence is in another parish is not entitled to a grave or niche in the columbarium. If the person in temporary care no longer has a permanent residence in another parish evidence of this fact must be produced before a grave or niche can be purchased e.g. a bill of sale or a letter from a solicitor.
6. Former parishioners of this parish who according to the parish records resided in the parish for 25 years or more (20 years if they left the parish before 1 January 2012) are entitled to purchase a new grave or niche in the columbarium. Children of such a household are not entitled to acquire a new grave except when a son or daughter of such a household dies within 5 years of leaving the parish.
7. To date the practice has been that a person who lives outside the defined perimeter of the Parish and is not covered by the “25 year residence rule” but is registered as contributing to the Parish by Standing Order, Direct Debit, or Envelope is entitled to purchase a grave or niche in the columbarium in the Parish cemetery. This provision will be honoured for people contributing as above before 1 January 2012 and who continue to contribute after that date until their death. From 1 January 2012 a new arrangement is put in place. Under this new arrangement people who live outside the defined perimeter of the Parish and start contributing after 1 January 2012 will not be entitled to purchase a new grave or niche in the columbarium in the Parish cemetery.
8. The householder in whose name the grave or niche in the columbarium is purchased will be responsible for payment to the undertaker of all fees mentioned at 2 above and the expense of opening and closing the grave or columbarium. The undertaker will then be responsible, on their behalf for the opening and closing of the grave or the columbarium and funeral arrangements.
9. On payment being received a lease will be issued for the grave plot or the niche in the columbarium.
10. The parish will not be responsible for damage caused to graves or memorials due to any unforeseen circumstance.
11. All refuse should be put in the skip provided. Any damage done must be repaired as soon as possible by the person responsible.
12. The purpose of these regulations is to ensure that our parish cemetery, which is consecrated ground, will be testimony of our respect and reverence for our dead and our faith in the Resurrection rather than to restrict the freedom of the users.
