Regulations

• The following regulations shall apply to all the cemetery under the control of Rousdon Estate Cemetery Limited (“RECL”) or its successors.
• RECL’s cemetery regulations form the basis for the proper control and management of the cemetery and are designed to ensure a pleasant environment and ease of maintenance.
• Visitors are welcome to the Cemetery and are requested to respect the dignity of these peaceful and tranquil places. Regulations should be always observed and RECL reserves the right at any time to make amendments or variations to them.
• As a private cemetery, RECL reserves the absolute right to refuse the interment of any individual in the Memorial Cemetery or any animal in the pet cemetery.
• The Memorial Garden Cemetery has a total of fifty-five (55) grave plots.
• The Memorial Garden Cemetery has one columbarium possessing thirty-two (32) niches in the columbarium. Each niche hold three (3) urns.
• For enquiries regarding the regulations, please contact the Cemeteries Officer at:
   
  Address:
  Middle House, Rousdon Estate, Rousdon DT7 3XR

  Web:
  www.rousdoncemetery.com

  Email:
  info@rousdoncemetery.com

  Telephone:
  01297 444 734

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and expression are defined as below:

• “RECL” refers to Rousdon Estate Cemetery Limited (or its successors) being the Burial Authority for the Memorial Garden Cemetery, Rousdon Estate.
• “Columbarium” shall mean the area of the cemetery which has a structure for the respectful storage of funerary urns, holding cremated remains of the deceased.
• “Niche” shall mean a compartment within a columbarium.
• “A Lawn grave” or “grave” shall mean a plot in the Memorial Garden Cemetery.
• “Unpurchased grave” means a grave space wherein the exclusive right of burial has not been purchased.
• “The owner of Exclusive Right of Burial” shall mean the person registered by RECL as the grantee of exclusive right of burial.
• “Cemeteries Officer” is the individual appointed by RECL to carry out the administration of the cemetery.

3.1 Admission to Cemetery

• Unless opening times are specified by RECL, entry to the cemetery is restricted to the hours between sunrise and sunset.
• No unauthorised person shall enter or remain in a cemetery at any hour when it is closed to the public.
• The Estate reserves the right to temporarily close to the public access to the cemetery or any part of a cemetery at any time without notice.
• All persons entering the cemetery will be subject to these rules and regulations approved by RECL
• RECL reserves the right to exclude from the cemetery for such period as RECL determines any person offending against these regulations.
• Children are permitted in the cemeteries but should do so under the care and supervision of an adult.
• Admission of vehicles is prohibited unless specifically authorised by RECL.
• To the extent permitted by law no liability is accepted by RECL for loss or damage howsoever caused.
• Dogs are permitted in the cemetery but must be always kept on a lead and under proper control. Any dog faeces must be cleared away immediately by the dog owner and disposed of appropriately.

3.2 Conduct of visitors

• All persons shall conduct themselves in a decent, quiet and orderly manner. No person shall:
• Wilfully create any disturbance in the cemetery.
• Commit any nuisance in the cemetery.
• Wilfully interfere with any burial taking place in the cemetery.
• Wilfully interfere with any grave, walled grave or vault, any tombstone or other memorial, or any flowers or plants or any such matter; or play at any game or sport in the cemetery.
• Every person contravening any of the above provisions is liable on summary conviction (currently £1000, and in case of a continuing offence to a fine not exceeding £10 for each day during which the offence continues conviction thereof.
• Musical instruments may be played only with the prior consent of RECL.
• Visitors are requested to deposit litter, spent flowers or any other unwanted items in the bin provided.
• No persons shall sell or offer or expose for sale any article, commodity, or thing of any kind whatsoever or solicit orders for the same, within the cemetery.
• All enquiries, complaints, and requests by members of the public should be made to the Cemeteries Officer.
• All visitors must refrain from interfering with trees, shrubs, and flowers.

4.1 Booking of interments

• Prior telephone booking is required for every interment and a Notice of Interment, on the forms provided by RECL must be submitted to the Cemetery Officer during normal office hours at least seven (7) clear working days before the date and time of the interment.
• The notice of interment is also the confirmation of the telephone booking which is provisional until the Cemeteries Officer checks the Notice of Interment. RECL will not accept any responsibility for consequences arising from the loss or delay of any such notice, order or any other document sent by post nor for the accuracy of the details contained in the Notice of Interment.
• The Notice of Interment must be signed by one of the following persons:
  • The applicant for Exclusive Right of Burial
  • The owner of Exclusive Right of Burial or the person authorising the opening or re-opening of the grave for the interment
  • A person instructing an interment.
  • The person/s arranging the interment shall be responsible for the attendance of a Minister of Religion to officiate at the burial service (if desired) and for the payment of any fee to which the Minister is entitled.

4.2 Hours of interments

• Interments may only take place in accordance with these regulations, subject
• to availability and between the hours of:
  • Monday to Thursday 1000 to 1500 hrs
  • Friday 1000 to 1430 hrs
• No burials may take place on Saturdays, Sundays or on Bank or other Public Holidays. In special circumstances and by prior arrangement interments may take place outside of these hours however additional charges will be incurred.
• The time appointed for an interment will relate to when the funeral cortege is to arrive at the grave side where the interment is to take place. All funerals shall be under the control of the appropriate representative of RECL.

4.3 Certificates of disposal

No burial will be allowed to take place unless one of the following certificates is delivered to the appropriate representative of the Estate before an interment takes place.

• A Coroner’s Order for burial or the disposal certificate issued by the Registrar of Births.
• In the case of a stillborn child, the appropriate certificate under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953.
• In the case of a non-viable foetus the Medical Practitioner’s or Midwifes’ certificate of delivery will be required.
• In the case of interment or a scattering of cremated remains, the cremation certificate issued by the Cremation Authority.

4.4 Infectious diseases

Where a funeral is of a person who has died of an infectious disease, the Notice of Interment must contain a statement to this effect.

• Every body brought into the cemetery for interment shall be contained in a suitable coffin /casket bearing a name plate establishing the identity of the body contained therein.
• Traditional wooden coffins or ecologically friendly coffins only shall be used. Special authorisation is required for other materials.
• The exact dimensions of the coffin shall be entered on the Notice of interment. Should the coffin be in excess in size an additional charge may be incurred.
• The responsibility for providing sufficient bearers to carry the coffin rests with the funeral director or person arranging the funeral.

6.1 Allocation of new graves

• The cemetery is not segregated by religious denominations.
• The allocation of grave spaces in all cases shall be at the discretion of RECL. If requested at the time of booking the interment, new graves will be available for selection subject to the approval of RECL and payment of the appropriate fee. Graves will not be available for selection in areas not currently active.

6.2 Excavation of graves

• All graves shall be prepared by persons employed by the Funeral Director, or its contractors.
• Every grave shall be dug central to the allocated grave space. All new graves shall be excavated at 1.93m subject to ground conditions allowing for two burials to take place in each grave space. Re-opened graves will be excavated at 1.50m; children’s graves shall be excavated at 1.20m and cremated remains plots (where they are provided) at 0.60m.
• Three cremated remains interments may take place in each plot in the Columbarium.
• Cremated remains interments may take place in a Lawn grave, however the depth at which the cremated remains are placed depends on whether any previous interments have taken place. It is the Estate’s policy to safeguard burial space.
• The Estate reserves the right to place excess spoil on graves, which may temporarily restrict access, when adjoining graves are excavated, and will endeavour to clear the spoil and leave the area tidy as soon as possible after the funeral.
• No body shall be buried in a grave in such a manner that any part of the coffin is less than 0.91 metres below the level of any ground adjoining the grave; provided that RECL may, where they consider the soil to be of suitable character, permit a coffin to be placed not less than 0.61 metres below the level of any ground adjoining the grave.
• No brick graves or vaults will be allowed to be constructed without specific written permission from RECL.

6.3 Re-opening of graves

• Graves may be re-opened for further interments subject to space being available.
• Where any grave is re-opened for the purpose of making another burial therein no person shall disturb any human remains interred therein or remove them from any soil which is offensive.
• No body shall be buried in a grave unless the coffin is effectively separated from any coffin interred in the grave on a previous occasion by a layer of earth not less than 15 cm thick.

6.4 Exhumation

After interment no body or cremated remains may be removed from a grave or niche without the production of the Home Office Licence for exhumation required by Law. The original documents will be required for this purpose.

Permission may be sought from RECL to scatter cremated remains over a grave space. A Notice of Interment shall be submitted to RECL for this purpose.

8.1 What is an Exclusive Right of Burial?

The Exclusive Right of Burial entitles the registered owner:

• to be interred in a grave subject to space being available in the grave,
• to determine who is buried in the grave and
• to apply for the Right to erect a memorial on the grave, in accordance with regulations.

8.2 When can the Exclusive Right of Burial be purchased?

The Exclusive Right of Burial must be purchased in advance of an interment taking place to reserve a grave space, subject to availability.

8.3 Period of exclusive right of burial

• The Exclusive Right of Burial will be granted in perpetuity.
• The owner of Exclusive Right of Burial is responsible of informing RECL of any change of address.

8.4 Transferring the Exclusive Right of Burial

• The owner of Exclusive Right of Burial may assign the Right of Burial to another person subject to the appropriate administration fee and the permission of RECL.
• After the death of the owner of Exclusive Right of Burial, RECL will need to re-establish the new legal owner of Exclusive Right of Burial. To transfer ownership, it will be necessary to submit details requested in the transfer of grave ownership and the appropriate transfer fee. Such a transfer will be registered in RECL’s records.

8.5 Buy back of Exclusive Right of Burial

Where no interment has taken place in the grave, the owner of the Right of Burial may surrender the same to the Estate in return for a payment not exceeding the original purchase price. An administration fee is also payable to RECL, on such instances. No refund will be made where a period of 10 years has elapsed.

A memorial may only be erected on a grave space within RECL’s cemetery in accordance with the regulations in force at the time of application.

9.2 Who can apply for the Right to Erect a Memorial?

•  The Right to Erect a Memorial may be applied for only when the Exclusive Right of Burial for a grave space has been purchased. The right to erect a memorial rest with the registered owner of Exclusive Right of Burial.Memorials. The person named on a Deed as owner of Exclusive Right of Burial in a grave also has the right to have a memorial erected on that grave. Responsibility for any memorial erected on a grave lies with the person named on the Deed pertaining to it.
• The Right to Erect and maintain a memorial in the lawn graves area will be granted be for the duration of the Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial, i.e., in perpetuity.

9.3 Applying to erect a memorial

• An application for the Right to Erect a new memorial, to place a new memorial, vase, alter or add to any inscription, refurbish or refix, or replace an existing, add to or remove from the cemeteries any memorial must be submitted to the Cemeteries Officer on the appropriate Memorial Application Form.
• A memorial can only be erected on the condition that it may be periodically inspected by RECL and must be found to be safe. Any necessary repairs required must be carried out by a Memorial Mason as above. If this is not undertaken, then RECL reserves the right to remove the memorial and terminate the right.

9.5 Memorials – Lawn graves

• RECL’s cemetery is laid to lawn and the placing of memorial tablets or kerbs around the graves is not permitted. No kerbstone shall be installed, nor will any enclosure of any description be allowed. The erection of any form of railings is not permitted around any grave.
• A memorial can be erected at the head of the grave in alignment with other memorials.Permanent MemorialsThe maximum size of memorials shall not exceed 90 cm in height by 90 cm in width by 30 cm in depth or if the memorial is to be erected over two grave spaces 90 cm in height by 200cm in width by 30cm in depth

  Temporary Memorials

  A temporary wooden cross not exceeding 90 cm in height above ground level by 60cm wide may be erected at the head of the grave for the first twelve months following an interment. This temporary memorial shall be removed by the Owner of Exclusive Right of Burial or Memorial Mason when a permanent memorial is erected and before the 12 months has elapsed. RECL reserves the right to remove and dispose of the cross, should it fall in disrepair or if it remains on site at the expiration of the permitted period. The erection of a wooden cross is subject to the approval by RECL of a memorial application.

9.6 Memorials – Garden of Remembrance (where existing)

Flat memorial tablets not exceeding 5 cm in height by 45 cm in width by 35 cm in depth may be placed in a ‘landscape’ position over the site of a cremated remains plot. The tablet must be set flush to ground level and can incorporate a vase.

9.7 Memorials – General

• All memorials shall be constructed out of natural stone, granite, marble or other hard stone, which must be durable and sound.
• The number of the grave shall be engraved on the back of all new and replaced headstones in letters not less than 15mm in height.
• It is the responsibility of the Memorial Mason to ensure memorials are erected on the grave space, at the appropriate levels to the adjacent ground and central to the memorial border or in the absence of a memorial border at the head of the grave in alignment with other memorials. All Memorial Masons shall carry out their work strictly under the direction of RECL and shall fill up and level the ground, remove all waste and unwanted material and make good any damage or injury whatsoever occasioned in the process of the work.
• Work on memorials shall not be carried out on Saturdays, Sundays, Bank or other Public Holidays.

9.8 Removal or re-erection of memorials

The removal and re-erection of a memorial to facilitate the re-opening of a grave or to level such grave shall be at the expense of the grave owner or their personal representative. The re-erection shall be undertaken by a Memorial Mason accredited by either NAMM (National Association of Memorial Masons) or BRAMM (British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons) and such memorial shall be replaced as soon as practical after the interment. An application to re-erect the memorial with an additional inscription shall be submitted to RECL.

9.9 Responsibility for memorials

• Any monument or memorial erected in the Cemetery remains the property and responsibility of the owner of Exclusive Right of Burial for the grave or their personal representative and therefore, remains in the Cemetery at the sole risk of, and must be kept in good state of repair, by the said owner or personal representative. If the owner of Exclusive Right of Burial for the grave cannot be identified RECL will undertake to maintain the memorial in a manner it deems satisfactory.
• RECL will not accept liability for damage to any grave space or memorial or injury to any person within a cemetery except where such damage is directly attributable to the negligence of the Estate or its employees or contractors.
• RECL recommends that memorial owners take out insurance to protect their property.

9.10 Inspection of memorials

• RECL periodically inspects all memorials and if any are found to be in an unsafe condition, RECL will place a notice on the memorial and will then contact the memorial owners in order that they can rectify any problems. Should the Estate be unable to establish contact with an owner the Estate will make the memorial safe or undertake such other remedial action to remove the danger as necessary.
• Memorial owners shall be responsible for the cost of repairing or re-instating memorials. RECL will endeavour to notify memorial owners of unsafe memorials but if not repaired or contact not made within two months of this action, the memorial may be removed by RECL.
• Where a necessary action has been taken regarding any unsafe memorials and the costs of repair or removal has been borne by RECL, such costs will be recovered from the owner of the memorial or subsequent claimant to the Exclusive Right of Burial, should they become known to the Estate.

9.11 RECL reserves the right

RECL reserves the right to:

• Remove, without notice, any memorial and take any necessary precautions necessary to safeguard RECL’s employees, contractors, agents or third parties when digging graves adjacent to any memorial.
• To re-fix, move, line-up or otherwise alter the position of any memorial in a cemetery as they may require.
• Remove any monument or memorial, which has become, or is likely to become, dangerous or which is in a derelict or unsightly condition.
• Remove any monument or memorial where the periods of Exclusive Right of Burial and Right to erect of Memorial have elapsed or when the Right to Erect a Memorial is deemed to be terminated.
• Remove any memorial or other item that is placed upon a grave in contravention of these regulations, without notice.

• We respectfully request that all tributes placed in cemetery are not excessive, do not encroach on to adjoining plots, and do not restrict access to adjacent memorial tablets or obstruct the maintenance of the area
• The erection of any form of enclosure or low-level fencing around the memorial is not permitted nor is the planting of flowers and shrubs.
• The placing of items such as lanterns, wind chimes and ornaments on hooks or spikes is not permitted.
• Vases, jars and bottles made from glass are not permitted.
• RECL reserves the right to remove without prior notice objects, materials, plant, and flower containers which have become unsightly and plants, floral tributes and Christmas wreaths which in its opinion are considered to have died or are not in accordance with these regulations and to dispose of the same in such a manner as deemed fit.
• Memorial benches, seating, statuary etc may be permitted.

• We respectfully request that all lawn areas are kept clear of tributes in order that maintenance can be undertaken unhindered, and that the width of the memorial border is not altered in any way.
• The placing of floral tributes or the planting of small annual bedding plants and bulbs is only permitted within the memorial border (if this border has been established) and shall be maintained by the grave owner.
• The planting of flowers and shrubs is not permitted in the cemetery where there are no memorial borders.
• RECL reserves the right to remove without prior notice any plant and flower containers which have become unsightly, shrubs, trees or plants, floral tributes and Christmas wreaths not considered to be accordance with these regulations, infringing on adjacent grave spaces or that in its opinion have become unsightly and to dispose of the same in such a manner as deemed fit.
• Although care will be taken when excavating new graves, RECL does not accept any liability for loss or damage to planting caused as result of such operations.

• Grounds maintenance operations such as grass cutting, leaf and litter clearing, upkeep of trees, shrubs, flower beds, hedges and memorial borders will be carried out by the Estate or its contractor, at a frequency determined by RECL and by weather conditions.
• RECL shall endeavour to reinstate all newly excavated graves within 12 months of an interment, subject to grounds conditions and to the season of the year being appropriate for these works to be undertaken. This period is necessary to allow the natural subsidence of the earth used to fill the grave. The reinstatement shall include the levelling and seeding of the grave surface.
• No mound will be permitted over any new grave other than to allow for settlement.
• Funeral wreaths will generally be disposed of within 14 days after interment; however, they may be left longer depending upon how well the flowers have lasted.
• RECL reserves the right to disconnect the water supply during the winter months to avoid the freezing and ultimate bursting of the pipes, or when the tap(s) are defective, or the water supply provided is being abused.
• RECL reserves the right to change the appearance of the Cemetery and therefore the demeanours of the surround adjacent to a specific grave may change as may any amenity or feature adjacent to a grave.

• Fees for cemetery services will be determined by RECL annually and will take effect from 1 April each year.
• Fees are payable in advance to RECL.

• All pet interments are by specific individual arrangement only.
• All pet interments will be cremated remains only.
• Each interment will have memorial tablet 30cm x 30 cm provided at the owner’s expense.
• Each memorial will be numbered and approved by RECL
• All other Cemetery rules pertain.