For enquiries about burials at the cemetery, please contact the Parish Clerk at clerk@stburyanlamorna-pc.gov.uk. Further information and burial forms are available on this page.
The Parish Council acts in its capacity of Burial Authority when maintaining the St Buryan Cemetery and is responsible for burials and burial records at the cemetery.
Written permission must be given by the Parish Council before any burials can take place (coffins or ashes). Written permission is also needed before the placing of headstones, memorials or additional inscriptions on memorials. Fees are set out in the list of fees and charges.
The Parish Council is responsible for the safety of the cemeteries and so regular checks on the safety of memorials are carried out. It is the responsibility of the owner of the grave lease to carry out any remedial works on grave headstones, not the Parish Council.
Please note: St Buryan Church churchyard is not run by the Parish Council and is closed for burials.
Documentation required prior to burial (interment)
Application for Exclusive Right of Burial – by purchasing an Exclusive Right of Burial, the burial plot will be reserved for used by the lease owner (or joint owners). The lease owner will have an automatic right of burial (space permitting) or may give written agreement to a burial of another named person in that burial plot. Written permission from the Parish Council is needed in both instances – burial of a grave lease owner or another named person.
Application for a memorial
Only the grave owner/s can apply for a memorial tablet or headstone. An application is to be submitted to the Parish Council and written permission must be gained before a memorial may be installed.
Notice of Interment
The Notice of Interment acts as an application for permission for a burial. A fully completed Notice of Interment should be sent to the Clerk (clerk@stburyanlamorna-pc.gov.uk) at least 5 working days before the intended interment.
Certificate for Disposal / Order for Burial
The Registrar’s Certificate for Disposal or the Coroner’s Order for Burial must also be sent to the Clerk before interment can legally take place. Failure to deliver such a Certificate or order will result in the postponement of the funeral until such time as the Certificate or Order is produced or a Form 18 is completed as required under Regulation 49(3) Schedule 2, Births and Deaths Registration Act 1987 (Section 1 Births and Deaths Registration Act 1926 and Amendment).
Fees
All fees relating to interments should be paid to St Buryan and Lamorna Parish Council. When the application documents have been received by the Clerk, an invoice will be issued, setting out the fee payable and giving details of how to pay.
Failure to deliver any of the above documents may result in a delay or postponement of the funeral.
Funerals
Note that funerals are often arranged by a Funeral Director, but they do not have to be. For information generally about funeral arrangements, there is more advice on the Cornwall Council website – link here. And for more information on making arrangements for a funeral without a funeral director, there is helpful advice available, including this link to Leicester City Council’s website.
Grave digging
Arrangement for grave digging is the responsibility of the Funeral Director. Only persons approved by the Parish Council are permitted to dig graves.
Hours
The usual hours for interments are 10am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. Burials may be carried out on Saturdays and Sundays, at the discretion of the Parish Council.
Disclaimer
The Parish Council or its officers will not be responsible for any error or consequences thereof that may arise by reason of any inaccuracy in or late receipt of Notice of Interment. All orders and instructions must be in writing. Instructions by telephone must be confirmed to the council in writing as soon as possible.
It is possible that there may be previous or future interments of non-family members where Exclusive Rights of Burial are not in existence. Remains will not be disturbed when preparing for a new interment.
Purchasing an Exclusive Right of Burial
When a grave is purchased, it refers to the purchasing of the Exclusive Right of Burial in a grave space and not the purchase of the land itself. This means that you do not own the land but have the right, during the period stated, to say who can be buried, or have cremated remains buried, in the grave space.
A Right can be purchased in advance, many people do this to have the reassurance that there will be a grave space for them in their chosen cemetery. In this way, you can reserve the right to be buried in a cemetery, however note that graves are allocated on the basis of the next available at the date of interment. Specific grave plots are not reserved.
The cost of an Exclusive Right of Burial does not include any interment costs, these fees are listed separately.
We will provide you with a Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial and it is important that you keep this in a secure place as it is the only legal document confirming your entitlement to the Right. It is very important to notify us of any change of address so that we can contact you regarding the cemetery or grave space.
All the documents needed for burials in the St Buryan Cemetery can be found by clicking this link: https://www.stburyanlamorna-pc.gov.uk/burial-documents/