Your key contacts are:

The Vicar, Revd Dr David Knight at
fletching.vicar@gmail.com or
07787 860667 or if unavailable
Mr Hugh Bullock, the Garden of
Remembrance Manager,
at fletching.gor@gmail.com or
07831 172974

Introduction

We are conscious that this is a difficult time for you, and we want to make this an easy process to follow. That is why these regulations have been set out as straight-forwardly as possible.

The Vicar and the Garden of Remembrance Manager are more than happy to discuss any questions or concerns.

However, these regulations are designed to ensure that the churchyard remains the special place that it is today, a beautiful and important part of the community in Fletching. We aim to keep the churchyard as the place of prayer and reflection in which our historic church has stood for many centuries, and of which we are only temporary custodians.

There are regulations about what we can and can’t do in the Garden of Remembrance
which are set nationally or regionally, and which we can’t change.

The churchyard is the area immediately surrounding the church. These regulations apply to the
Garden of Remembrance where interments of ashes take place. This area is either side of
the main lychgate entrance.

The churchyard itself is closed for burials, but there is a burial ground beyond the churchyard to the north-east, which remains open. These regulations do not apply to that area, which is the responsibility of the Parish Council, and for further information you need to consult the Parish Clerk:
Gabbi Paterson-Griggs at clerk@fletching-pc.org or 07534 959 772

Frequently asked questions

• Who may have their ashes interred in the Garden of Remembrance?
  Anyone for whom the Vicar gives consent. Preference is always given for families with a relationship to the parish.

• The number of interments in each plot
  A plot can be used for two interments provided it is dug sufficiently deeply. Please let the Vicar and Garden of Remembrance Manager know if you would like this to be the case before the plot is used for the first time.

• Interment of ashes
  Ashes are typically interred in eco-friendly containers such as wooden boxes. If preferred, ashes can be poured directly into the ground. Once the ashes are committed to the earth, they cannot be removed. If you do use an eco-friendly container, like a wooden box, it must be able to fit into a maximum grave space width and length of 12 inches by 12 inches.

• Memorial stones
  The main rules are:

• Size and materials
  Memorial stones must be of the standard size (12” x 12” x2”) and be made of stone. Stones allowed are:
  - Limestone
  Portland, Purbeck, Derbyshire, Hopton Wood, Hornton, Nabresina, Caen/Normandy
  - Sandstone
  York, Slate - blue or black (Cornish), grey or blue (Welsh), green (Westmoreland)
  - Granite
  Light to medium grey

• The best time for laying the stone
  It is suggested that a memorial stone is not laid until sometime after the interment. This allows the ground to settle. If for pastoral reasons the stone has to be placed at the service, we expect the funeral director to return to level the ground at a later date. We ask this because in the past grass has grown over stone which have sunk below the level of the ground.

• Inscriptions
  The text and design for a stone must be approved by the Vicar. Inscriptions should be simple and must not include photographs or portraits. This is simply to ensure that nothing is done which is not in keeping with the historic environment of the churchyard.

• Applications for a memorial stone
  These should be made using the standard form available from funeral directors. This is usually organised between the funeral director and the Vicar.

• Vases, flowers and other objects
  The marking of graves with flowers is very important. When flowers are placed, would you please remove plastic wrappings and put them in the bin? Vases are warmly welcomed, and these are available from the church at no cost.
  We understand the need to bring mementoes and tokens to the stone. Would you please trust us to move them when they start to look too weathered?

  Wreaths and cut flowers will also be removed when they have withered. Except for Remembrance Day poppies, no artificial flowers or foliage should be left. We reserve the right to remove these.

  A gift for the Church in memory
  If you would like to make a gift to the Church in memory of someone, then do please get in touch with the Vicar, Revd Dr David Knight, at 
  fletching.vicar@gmail.com or 07787 860667 

3rd January 2023