Woodgreen Parish Council

Woodgreen Parish Council Cemetery

The Parish Council owns and manages the cemetery which is located at the southern end of the village on the road towards Godshill. The cemetery rules are shown below and were last amended in January 2016.

Right of Burial and Interment of Ashes

There is a right of burial or interment of ashes for:

Any person who dies within the parish.

Any resident (i.e. on the electoral role) or a child of a resident, wherever they die.

Any spouse or partner of anyone already buried or with ashes already interred in the cemetery. 

Any parent of a child already buried or with ashes already interred in the cemetery.

Any child of a parent already buried or with ashes already interred in the cemetery.

Any person not covered by the above, provided that it can be established to the satisfaction of the Parish Council that such person has resided within the parish for a period totalling in excess of five years out of the previous ten years immediately before their death.

(“child” is defined as offspring/issue under the age of eighteen years for all the cemetery rules)

The parish council will always seek to accommodate personal preferences but great importance has to be placed upon the orderly use and management of the limited land available and any decisions made by the parish council must be final. An area at the southern end of the cemetery is set aside for the interment of ashes.

Interment of Family Ashes

The interment of a person’s ashes in the existing burial space of a family member will be at the discretion of the parish council.

Reservation of Plots

Reservation of plots is not permitted except where, at the time of a first burial or interment of ashes, a spouse partner or parent (in the case of a child) of the deceased reserves an exclusive right to their burial or interment of their ashes in a space for 75 years upon payment of the appropriate fee.

If not taken up, rights to an unbroken plot reserved under previous rules shall lapse after sixty years.

Memorials 

Details for all proposed memorials, headstones, crosses and plaques, including inscriptions, must be submitted to the parish council for approval at least five weeks before intended installation. 

Kerbs in any material are not allowed and only grass can cover the grave.

Headstones (maximum height 1.2 metres) should have a protective plinth, 6-9cms wide, at ground level, so as not to impede mechanical maintenance work. The preferred material to be used is light coloured natural stone with a matt finish e.g. Purbeck or Chilmark stone.

No photographs are allowed on any memorial.

Flower vases are to be set into the grave and no trees or shrubs may be planted in any area of the cemetery.

In the cremation area, the 45cm x 30cm plot must be covered by a 0.5cm thick stone cover upon which any memorial plaque should be mounted, but no stonework or memorial should be above ground level.

No other memorial will be permitted in the cremation area although flowers may be placed upon the memorial plaque.

Cemetery Charges

Charges for each interment are made up of three parts (A+B+C) as shown below:

 

A. Purchase of grave space or cremation plots, with exclusive rights for 75 years

Single Grave - £250

Double Depth Grave - £350

Cremation Plot - £120

 

B. Burial or Interment of Ashes Fee - £200

 

C. Memorials

Headstone or Other Memorial for grave - £150

Memorial Plaque for Cremation Area – not exceeding 45cms X 30cms - £100

Additional Inscription to Existing Memorial - £50

 

Cemetery Records and Fees

The parish council maintains all records required by law. Records may be inspected by appointment, but a fee of £25 will be made for a search of the cemetery register and £15 will be charged for a certified extract. Graves and Cremation Plots are identified by a grid reference system.                                                                                  

Cemetery Maintenance

Whilst next of kin are responsible for the maintenance of individual graves, the parish council has a responsibility for the cemetery as a whole and in particular the cutting of grass around graves, on paths and unused areas.

At all times visitors are requested to maintain their floral tributes but the parish council may remove any it feels are unsuitable. Due to collection difficulties visitors are requested to take home all rubbish.  

The parish council reserves the right, in the interest of tidiness and safety, to take any action required to maintain safety and an acceptable appearance of the cemetery. Where graves are overgrown and unattended they may be flattened in order to allow easier maintenance but every attempt to contact next of kin first will be made. We have a policy of removing edging when necessary for safety, aesthetics and ease of mowing.

Procedures

Notice must be given to the parish clerk at least three working days before a Burial or Interment of Ashes. The parish clerk will then agree a burial plot with the next of kin, executors or undertaker and will issue the appropriate paperwork.

 Burials and Interment of Ashes are allowed between the hours of 10.00 and 16.00 Monday to Friday and should be carried out by an undertaker.

It is the undertaker’s responsibility to provide the services of a sexton. It should be noted that it is an offence against the New Forest byelaws to deposit waste gravel and other materials on the Crown Land surrounding the cemetery and they must be taken away and disposed of elsewhere.

All enquiries should be made via the Parish Clerk.