CEMETERY 

Halberton Cemetery 
Rules and Regulations 

Halberton Cemetery is owned and maintained by Halberton Parish Council as a final resting place for the people of Halberton.  It is the Parish Council’s wish to preserve the cemetery as a peaceful and well-maintained place for those who wish to mourn and respect their loved ones.  The Parish Council would ask all visitors to respect this wish.

Burials 

• A nationally approved Funeral Director must conduct all interments.
• By law, no burial or interment of ashes are permitted without the permission of the Parish Clerk or authorised representative.
• The Parish Clerk or authorised representative must receive an Application Form and full payment before the day of burial or interment.
• Only biodegradable coffins will be allowed.
• The first interment in each grave shall be at a depth of 2.0 metres and no coffin shall be nearer the surface than 900mm.
• The digging of any grave must be arranged through an approved Funeral Director.
• All first interments shall take place in grave spaces in rotation.
• In event that the holder of the Exclusive Right to Burial cannot be contacted, the re-opening of a grave will be at the discretion of Halberton Parish Council.
• On the day of interment, flowers and wreaths may be placed on the actual area of the grave, but Halberton Parish Council reserve the right to remove these tributes should they become unsightly.
• When the Exclusive Right to Burial for 75 years in a grave space has been purchased, the holder is entitled to, and shall receive a formal Deed signed by the Parish Clerk. Ownership can be transferred to someone else by contacting the Parish Clerk for the appropriate form to be completed for which a small charge will be levied. After burial of the registered owner of the grave, the ongoing Exclusive Right to Burial must be transferred within a period of twelve months, by sending the Probate of Will or Letters of Administration to the Parish Clerk, which enables the grave to be transferred to the Executors or other entitled parties. 
• In the event that there is no Probate, Will or Letters of Administration, a declaration of Affidavit must be made by the heir-at-law or next of kin under the Statutory Declaration Act 1835 or any modification therein.   Until this is carried out the grave cannot be re-opened and no additional inscriptions may be added to the memorial.

Cremations 

• Only biodegradable caskets will be allowed.
• Cremated remains may be placed in family graves or in rotation in the special section of Halberton Cemetery set aside for that purpose and must be at least 450mm below the surface.
• Cremation tablets to be set at ground level only.
• Each tablet should have the correct interment number etched on the bottom left-hand corner.        No fixed ornaments or planting will be permitted

Memorials 

• Before any memorial is erected the Exclusive Right to Burial must be purchased.
• Halberton Cemetery will only permit memorials that have an integral steel pin, conforming to the NAMM Code of Working Practice.
• Headstones ONLY will be permitted as of the date of issue of these regulations.  The remainder of the grave area to be grass ONLY.
• Headstones to be made of natural materials only.  No plastic, metal or fibreglass headstones will be permitted.
• Concrete foundations must be set below ground level and conform to the British Standard size 910mm x 455mm x 75mm.
• Ornaments/flower holders to be placed on the headstone ONLY. 
  All memorial stones must be supplied and erected by a BRAMM registered Stonemason.
  The headstone and plinth combined should not exceed a height of 900mm and width of 600mm.
• The dimensions of every memorial headstone to be erected and a copy of the intended inscription must be submitted for the approval of the Parish Council.  Inscriptions should be arranged so as to face the grave.
• All new headstones should have the correct grave number etched on the reverse side of the memorial.
• The dimensions of every cremation tablet to be laid must be 455mm x 455mm and a copy of the intended inscription must be submitted for the approval of the Parish Council. 
• All memorials are placed in Halberton Cemetery at the risk of the holder of the Exclusive Right to Burial.
• All graves are to be levelled when a memorial is put in place, the excess soil to be placed in the designated area.
• Jam jars; metal cans, glass vases or plastic containers not specifically designed for cemetery use are not permitted and will be removed. 
• Artificial flowers are ONLY permitted in the flower holders placed on the headstone.

Maintenance 

• It is the responsibility of the holder of the Exclusive Right to Burial to maintain the headstone and grave in a safe and sightly condition.  Inspection will take place annually and any issues will be notified to the holder of the Exclusive Right to Burial.  Halberton Parish Council reserves the right to take any remedial action should it prove necessary. 
• It is the responsibility of the holder of the Exclusive Right to Burial or relative to maintain the grave, i.e. removal of dead flowers etc.  However Halberton Parish Council reserves the right to maintain the plot in the event that relatives fail to do so.  The Parish Council will cut grass, prune, cut down and remove any tree, shrub, planter or turf over any grave at any time when in their opinion the grave is unsightly and/or overgrown.
• Relatives are requested to place all waste materials in the appropriate containers.
• Planting of graves is NOT permitted.  Planting that exists prior to these regulations will only remain at the discretion of Halberton Parish Council.
• Halberton Parish Council maintains the right to level, turf or seed the grave should it become necessary.
• Halberton Parish Council does not accept responsibility for any damage or loss occasioned to any person, vehicle equipment or otherwise in the cemetery.

Miscellaneous 

• Legal action will be taken against any persons illegally removing flowers, damaging monuments or any other property, or behaving in an unseemly manner.
• No dogs are permitted in the cemetery unless kept on a leash and under proper control.
• Dogs should not be allowed to foul in the cemetery and the person in control of the dog must remove any excrement.
• Halberton Parish Council reserves the right from time to time to make any alteration in fees and charges or the foregoing Rules and Regulations.
• Details of the current fees and charges may be obtained from the Parish Clerk.
• Halberton Parish Council reserves all rights to the management of the cemetery, in particular, graves are liable to be reclaimed after a period of not less than 75 years.

By order of
HALBERTON PARISH COUNCIL 

For further information please contact

 Mrs Christine McIntyre
Halberton Parish Clerk
‘Per Ardua’
3, Katherine’s Lane
Ottery St Mary
Devon
EX11 1FB

Tel: 01404 814128

Email: christine@halberton.org