Cemetery

Please note that non-residents to Newborough and Borough Fen may not be buried in the cemetery- however, the chairman may use his discretion if the person has previously lived in the parish or has a strong connection to the village.

Quadruple fees apply for non-Parish residents.

Newborough Cemetery regulations

1. The Cemetery will be open for interments between 9am and sunset on all weekdays with the exception of bank holidays.
2. All fees and charges are to be paid in full to the clerk in advance. Fees and charges for matters relating to the Cemetery are decided by the Parish Council and reviewed annually. A current list of these charges is available from the Parish Clerk.
3. Notice of interment of at least 48 hours is to be given to the Clerk of the Parish Council with the required registration form and Registrars certificate (exclusive of Saturday and Sunday).
4. The reservation of a grave space, the exercise of right of burial or the erection of a memorial does not confer upon the relatives of the deceased, or upon any other person, any right of ownership of the land in which the burial is (or is to be) made.
5. Graves may only be excavated by trained personnel and no grave shall be dug or in any way prepared by any person unless appointed by the Parish Council to do so. Graves for burial may not be dug to double depth to accommodate more than one individual at Newborough Cemetery. However, graves for ashes may be buried at a double depth for two individuals.

No other excavation in the cemetery for any reason is permitted.

6. All headstones, memorial plaques and inscriptions are to be subject to approval of the Parish Council. A drawing showing the form and dimensions and plaques, and a copy of an intended inscription must be submitted to the Parish Clerk for consideration together with the appropriate fee. Once approval has been given no further appendages i.e. photographs etc may be placed thereon. Should any further inscription be required on the headstone or memorial plaque a further application must be submitted to the Parish Clerk.

No new headstone shall exceed a height of 1.00m.

Plaques must be laid horizontally and not exceed 14” x 18” (please note: -the size permitted must include the base stone.) In the new section of the cemetery, ONLY desk top style plaques are to be installed, and adhere to the size stated. (A vase is accounted for in the pricing.)

Headstones must be placed at the head of the grave with the rear face in line with others. Only headstones and accompanying flower vases that have the prior approval of the Parish Council will be permitted on grave spaces. Every memorial installation must conform to the code of practice of NAMM and to BS8415.

7. No curb stones or fences are permitted around grave plots

8.

(i) Any headstone may only be erected or positioned a minimum of twelve months following a burial interment.

(ii) Any memorial plaque may be erected three months following an interment. The Clerk must be contacted in advance of any installation to confirm an available date.

1. The Parish Council reserves the right to remove any object(s) introduce into the cemetery in contravention of these regulations or for which permission has not been obtained or which cause difficulty for cemetery maintenance.
2. Wooden coffins or coffins made from bio-degradable materials only to be used for earthen grave interments.
3. Headstones, plaques and vases must be kept maintained and repaired by their owners. The persons requesting the installation or the memorial and/or their relative will, for the purpose of maintenance will be deemed as their owners.
4. Within twelve months of interment, all graves will be levelled and grassed over by the persons responsible for the internment or the Parish Council contractors. The Parish Council reserves the right to make a charge if they carry out the work. No plants or shrubs are permitted in or around the grave area.
5. The Parish Council will not accept liability for any damage to headstones or vases caused by storm, wind, lightning or any other cause except by their own negligence. It is recommended that owners of headstones, vases and plaques make provision for their own insurance against damage, subsidence etc.
6. All dead or degraded flowers wreaths are to be removed from the graves. Please take all removed flowers and wreaths home and dispose of them in the appropriate waste bin.
7. Under Article 18 (1) of the Local authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 No. 204 it is an offence punishable with a fine to:

(a) Wilfully create any disturbance in a cemetery

(b) Commit any nuisance in a cemetery

(c) Wilfully interfere with any burial taking place in a cemetery

(d) Wilfully interfere with any grave or vault, any tombstone or other memorial or any flowers or plants

(e) Play any game or sport in a cemetery

Dogs are not allowed in the cemetery. (Guide dogs allowed)

The Garden Of Remembrance

Please apply through the Clerk for any enquiries and applications regarding the garden of remembrance.

Garden plaques are to be purchased via the Clerk at a cost of £85. These are cast plaques with angled back stakes and gold lettering.

The rose is to purchased directly by the family – please note that roses must not be rambling or climbing and subject to prior approval by the Council.

Memorial Safety Testing Information

• Nominated Parish Councillors will carry out the safety tests at St Bartholomew’s cemetery on memorials.
• Each memorial will firstly be given a visual check and hand test to assess its condition. Although NAMM recommends testing be every five years, due to the uneven ground within Newborough, the Parish Council will continue to test on an annual basis to assess relevant ground movement, as memorials are more likely to move over time.
• Any memorial which fails the test for stability will be deemed unsafe, and a record will be kept of the date of inspection and of any action that is taken.
• Any memorial which is deemed unsafe will, temporarily, be made secure if required or laid down if necessary (as per Local Authorities Cemetery order 1977). A notice stating that the memorial is unsafe will be attached to the memorial with the reasons given and will be completed and forwarded to the deed-holder of the grave at the last known address held on Parish Council record. The deed-holder of the grave will be advised that the memorial requires making safe in accordance with NAMM guidelines.
• If a Notification of Unsafe Memorial has not been received, it may be due to Parish Council records not holding current address details.
• Notices of memorial testing will be placed in the cemetery prior to commencement.
• No headstone or memorial will be removed from any cemetery.
• If a memorial is deemed to be unsafe, please contact the Parish Clerk.  clerk@newboroughandboroughfen-pc.gov.uk Tel:07388584591
• The Council will be able to provide information regarding reasons why the memorial is deemed to be unsafe and provide a list of NAMM approved monumental masons who will be able to assist with re-erecting a memorial safely.
• Deed-holders of graves or their next of kin, once a Transfer of Grave Ownership has been completed, are responsible for fixing the memorial back in place and in a safe condition, and are required to maintain this as such.

Under no circumstances should anyone try to re-erect a memorial, as this could be dangerous and may result in serious injury. Only approved monumental masons are permitted to carry out work on memorials in the Newborough and Borough Fen Parish Council cemetery once necessary notification and permission has been received by the Clerk, as per the latest cemetery regulations.