- Are all the graves on consecrated ground?
- Can I bury cremated remains in the cemeteries?
- How do I buy a grave?
- Hong long can I buy a grave for?
- How long in advance can I buy a grave?
- What it the difference between 'purchased' and 'unpurchased' graves?
- How much do you charge for various cemetery services?
- What are the opening times?
- What types of graves are available?
- When can burials take place?
- Where are the cemeteries in St Edmundsbury?
- What rights are incorporated in a deed to a grace space?
- Is a Christian service compulsory?
- How long after the funeral are floral tributes removed?
- Are bulbs, rose trees, plants, and so on allowed to be planted on the grass area in front of the lawn grave?
- How many coffins are allowed to be buried in one grave?
- How soon can I erect a headstone?
1. Are all the graves on consecrated ground?
Most of our cemeteries have consecrated (blessed as sacred) and unconsecrated areas where you can buy graves. The consecrated ground is consecrated by the Church of England.
2. Can I bury cremated remains in the cemeteries?
Yes. There are memorial gardens for cremated remains at each of our cemeteries. you can also place cremated remains in 'purchased' graves.
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3. How do I buy a grave?
Normally your funeral director will help you to buy a grave. However, if you want to make your own funeral arrangements, you can contact us for advice.
If you would like to view a section of the cemetery where the burial is to take place before the funeral, we will arrange for a member of staff to meet with you on site.
4. Hong long can I buy a grave for?
In the cemeteries we manage, we offer several types of graves. We sell the exclusive right of burial for 50 years, the option to top back up to the original term will be offered after five years. These are known as 'purchased graves'.
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5. How long in advance can I buy a grave?
Due to the limited number of graves left in our cemeteries, we no longer sell graves in advance.
6. What it the difference between 'purchased' and 'unpurchased' graves?
As mentioned earlier, a purchased grave is one where you can buy the right of burial for 50 years. You can decide who will be buried in the grave and you can put up a memorial in line with our cemetery regulations.
An unpurchased grave, sometimes known as a public or common grave, is one where you cannot buy the right to burial and we have total control of the grave. We decide who will be buried in the grave and this might not be members of the same family. No memorial rights exist on public graves so you cannot put up any headstone or other memorials.
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7. How much do you charge for various cemetery services?
Memorial and burial fees are listed on the Cemetery Service fees and charges page.
8. What are the opening times?
The cemeteries in our borough are open every day of the year, including bank holidays and Christmas Day.
- April to September 8am to 7pm
- October to March 8.30am to 4.30pm
9. What types of graves are available?
Lawn-type graves and woodland type graves are available in our Haverhill cemetery.
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10. When can burials take place?
Burials can take place on any weekday, except on bank holidays. Please talk to your funeral director or contact us to discuss any specific needs.
11. Where are the cemeteries in St Edmundsbury?
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12. What rights are incorporated in a deed to a grace space?
A Deed of Grant of exclusive Right of Burial gives the deed holder, their heirs and successors, the right to bury bodies or cremated remains in the named grave space, as long as space is available. Written permission is required for each interment.
13. Is a Christian service compulsory?
No. Any religion, creed or belief can be catered for on request. You can devise your own service, or indeed an interment can take place without any ceremony at all. The Chapels at both Cemeteries can be adapted to accommodate any type of service.
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14. How long after the funeral are floral tributes removed?
The general rule is after all shade of colour has faded, usually around two weeks.
15. Are bulbs, rose trees, plants, and so on allowed to be planted on the grass area in front of the lawn grave?
In the lawn sections, all floral tributes should be confined to the headstone area, although crocus bulbs can be planted on application to the Cemetery Registrar. These are usually finished before the grass cutting season starts.
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16. How many coffins are allowed to be buried in one grave?
All new graves are dug to triple depth; this will accommodate up to three full burials. Digging the grave this deep was common practice early in the 20th centaury, it allows families to be buried together and maximises the limited space we have available in the cemeteries. After the last coffin burial it is possible to inter caskets of cremated remains but all interments have to have the written consent of the deed holder. For older graves the number of coffins to be buried in one grave depends on what depth the grave was initially dug to and the depth of any subsequent burials, but it may be up to three coffins.
17. How soon can I erect a headstone?
At Haverhill on graves with continuous headstone bases and on cremation graves at both cemeteries - immediately. However, on all other graves it is advisable to wait about six months to allow the ground to settle.
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