In this section you will find the Registry Guidance note about Churchyards, covering
- their consecration and use;
- maintenance responsibilities;
- memorial ownership, maintenance and safety including guidance and a handbook for the bereaved
- closure procedures and consequences.
The Registry Guidance on Churchyard Maintenance, Closure and Memorials attempts to explain how these various aspects link together and will be of particular use to clergy. See also:
The Diocesan Churchyard Memorial Regulations 2026 deal with the physical character of memorial stone and inscription which an incumbent may permit without a specific faculty being required. They also cover many other practical aspects of churchyard management.
Incumbents will require the standard memorial application form ('annexed form' in the regulations) which will be needed before any approval can be given within the Regulations. The form contains a statement by the memorial mason that they have read the regulations and that the stone in question complies with the regulations.
Clergy will also find these documents vital when dealing with families:
And more generally
