FAQs
Where are the Burial Records, and whom should I
contact?
The Registers of Burials, and other records, are held for safe
keeping with the Property Services Division. No records are kept at
the cemeteries, and therefore queries should be directed to the
staff at the Whitfield Offices. (E-mail: burials@dover.gov.uk or telephone
01304 872458.
I am searching for a Burial Site for a relation, how far
back do the records go held by Dover District Council?
Dover District Council hold records for burials in the
Dover District since approximately 1837. Further records for
burials in East Kent Church Yards are held by Canterbury Cathedral
please contact them by phone on 01227 762862.
How are the Graves arranged?
The sections currently in use are laid out as lawn plots to
enable the maintenance of the area to be carried out more
efficiently. They are set out with headstone borders, two feet
in width, with a rose bush planted between each plot. To avoid
maintenance problems and to preserve a pleasant uniformity, the
headstone borders should not be altered in any way, nor should any
border edging of any kind be placed on a grave. The grassed
areas should remain flat and unplanted.
Can I erect a Headstone or Memorial Vase?
A memorial can only be erected on a purchased grave. Your
Monumental Mason will be fully aware of the Council's requirements
concerning the size, materials and methods of fixing the memorial
and will be pleased to advise you on the procedures to be followed
before the memorial can be erected.
How do I obtain permission for a Headstone?
An application for approval signed by the owner of the Deed of
Grant of the grave is sent to the Property Services Office by
the Monumental Mason at least fourteen days before the monument is
to be erected. Once approval to the application is received in
writing from the Head of Property Services, the erection of
the memorial can take place.
Who manages the Cemeteries?
Enquiries and applications should be made through the Property
Services Office. All funerals, burials or disposal of ashes, and
erection of memorials, are under the control of the Head of
Property Services. Any works must be carried out to the
satisfaction of the Council, and anything placed or planted on any
grave, other than an approved memorial, becomes the property of the
Council, and may be removed should it be considered
necessary.
Can I ask Cemetery Staff to do works on my
behalf?
Although the Council's staff are willing to advise in any way
they can, they are not allowed to be privately employed to carry
out any works within the Council's Cemeteries.
How do I purchase a Grave?
Plots in the Council's cemetery are generally purchased at the
time of the first burial, and the Funeral Director can make the
application on your behalf. Plots may, however, be purchased in
advance in certain cemeteries by applying to the Head
of Property Services through the Whitfield Offices. Please see
our burials page for fees and
an application form. A purchased plot carries with it a Deed of
Grant for Exclusive Right of Burial for one hundred years and is
proof of purchase. It is an important document and should be kept
in a safe place.
Am I able to plant anything on the
Grave?
Plants can be placed in the headstone borders but should be kept
to a minimum. No planting on the lawned area is allowed.
Shrubs, roses etc. may be planted within the graves in the older
kerbed sections of the cemeteries although the Council reserves the
right to remove any plant which becomes overgrown or untidy.
Where are the Children's Gardens of Rest?
There are Children's Gardens at St. Mary's Cemetery, Dover,
Hamilton Road Cemetery, Deal, and at Aylesham Cemetery.
These are laid out with headstone borders for your memorials and
tributes. The remainder of the area is grassed for ease of
maintenance.
What are the advantages if I purchase a Grave
Plot?
The purchase of a grave space gives the purchaser certain rights
and privileges. For instance, purchased graves may be dug deep
enough to allow for up to three burials. This allows members
of the same family to be buried in the same plot at later dates, if
they so wish. No purchased grave may be re-opened for another
burial without satisfactory proof that the owner, or his or her
successor in title, has given consent. The registered owner also
has the right to erect and maintain one memorial on the grave. The
owner also has the right to transfer the Right of Burial to any
relative in which case the Deed of Grant should be sent, with a
covering letter, to the Head of Property Services for
endorsement, and for the records to be changed.
What about Unpurchased Graves?
Unpurchased graves are prepared for one or two burials only, and
no headstone or memorial vase is permitted. However, a removable
flower vase less than twelve inches in height may be placed on the
grave.
What happens if a Headstone becomes dilapidated or
dangerous?
The headstone is at all times the responsibility of the owner
and should be kept maintained.
Who chooses the position of the Grave?
The selection of grave space is at the discretion of the Council
and allocations are made by the Property Services staff.
Can the Council maintain a Grave for me?
The Property Services office will be pleased to make the
necessary arrangements for any grave to be maintained or
planted/maintained by the Council. Invoices for these services are
generally sent out in December each year and new requests for
either of these services must be received by the first week in
March to be included in that current year's maintenance programme.
Any request received after that date will be added to the programme
as soon as possible.
How do I obtain a Grave Space?
Although a grave space can be allocated without purchase, the
large majority of new graves today are purchased by the family or
next of kin of the deceased. Purchased graves are still subject to
the cemetery regulations, but they enjoy a number of privileges,
not least of which is the right to erect a headstone by way of
memorial.
Can I have more than one Memorial?
The registered owner of a purchased plot has the right to erect
and maintain one memorial on the grave. This can either be a
headstone or a memorial vase and must be placed at the head of the
grave. Inscriptions on memorial vases are restricted to the name,
initials and age and date of death.
Are kerbstones and enclosures allowed as
Memorials?
The Council is anxious to maintain a high level of maintenance
throughout all its cemeteries and to ensure a high standard of care
for all the plots within its control. Any kerbstones or other
enclosures on any grave would present difficulties in this area and
are therefore not permitted except where they already exist in the
older parts of the cemeteries.
What are my responsibilities for the
Memorial?
Memorials are the responsibility of the owner of the grave.
Although the Council is not responsible for maintaining a memorial
nor for any damage caused to it, where possible, owners are
advised of any damage and will be given time to arrange for its
repair or removal. A memorial erected without permission may
be removed without notice, although the next of kin will normally
be contacted beforehand to be given the opportunity to apply to
purchase the Deed of Grant.
What Floral Tributes Can I place upon the
Grave?
Floral decorations can be placed on any grave. In order to keep
cemeteries in a neat and tidy condition floral tributes will be
taken from the grave and disposed of as soon as they are seen to be
decaying. This is usually 7-21 days after the interment.
Is the Scattering of Ashes allowed in
Cemeteries?
No, under The Local Authority Cemeteries Order 1977, the Council
must maintain a Register of all Burials within a Cemetery.
Therefore all ashes should be interred.
Contact
Telephone No. (01304) 872458
E-mail: burials@dover.gov.uk
