{"id":29539,"date":"2026-03-31T14:27:27","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T13:27:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.propertysurveying.co.uk\/newsletter\/?page_id=29539"},"modified":"2026-03-31T14:27:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T13:27:27","slug":"a-grave-situation-what-do-you-do-when-your-graveyard-runs-out-of-space","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.propertysurveying.co.uk\/newsletter\/?page_id=29539","title":{"rendered":"A Grave Situation: What do you do when your Graveyard runs Out of Space?"},"content":{"rendered":"

How to Extend a Rural Graveyard<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"ChurchWe are running out of grave space at our local church and this article is for anyone who ever wanted to know how you go about extending a rural graveyard.\u00a0 Like Oscar Wilde\u2019s truth, the process is rarely pure and never simple and can have grave repercussions if you get it wrong\u2026 (sorry).<\/p>\n

Before you start, search your Parochial Parish Council (PCC), congregation and village community for any one with expertise who might be willing and able to take on the various expensive professional aspects that turn out to be involved.<\/p>\n

The parish must have funds ready.\u00a0 As Mark Twain observed, \u2018Buy land: they aren\u2019t making it any more\u2019 and negotiating the purchase of even a quarter of an acre, and even for something as vital as a graveyard, is tricky.\u00a0 For rural parishes, farms and estates are often held in trust and while previous extensions may have been gifted, you are, sadly, very unlikely simply to be given a chunk of land for the community.\u00a0\u00a0 And there are fees at every turn\u2026<\/p>\n

Here is a handy breakdown of how to extend a graveyard.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Authorisations<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The PCC must pass a formal resolution agreeing to the extension and to purchase the necessary land. This resolution must be minuted, and a copy of the minutes signed by the churchwarden(s) ready for the next step.<\/li>\n
  2. Consult the Archdeacon and Diocesan Registrar who will provide the specific legal framework for your Diocese.<\/li>\n
  3. Under the Church Property Measure 2018, the land for a churchyard is usually transferred to the Vicar\/Rector as a \u2018corporation sole\u2019.<\/li>\n
  4. The Diocesan Registrar will be able to act for you with all legal aspects if you do not have a benevolent solicitor in your parish.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If you thought the Church of England would have a centralised legal team to do this for its parishes, you are wrong.\u00a0 Your Diocesan Registrar will be willing to act for you but the fees are currently in the region of \u00a32,000 plus VAT which must be paid out of parish funds.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Planning and Environmental checks<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Local Council: obtain \u2018Change of Use\u2019 planning permission. Be aware burial grounds have specific access and parking requirements.<\/li>\n
    2. Environment Agency: you may need to commission a Hydrogeological Risk Assessment (which can involve weeks of monitoring) to check the land is suitable for burials and will not contaminate the water table or water supplies. This can be a major issue.\u00a0 The site cannot be within a Groundwater Source Protection Zone 1 or 2.<\/li>\n
    3. There must also be at least 1 metre of dry soil between the highest level of the water table and the bottom of a grave.<\/li>\n
    4. Ministry of Justice: You must check that there is no existing “Order in Council” that prohibits the opening of a new burial ground in that specific area.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Land Registry & Title<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Freehold Only: ensure the land is unencumbered freehold.<\/li>\n
      2. Compliant Map: You will need a Land Registry-compliant, measured, OS map showing the exact boundaries. Another set of professional fees.<\/li>\n
      3. Financial: since the PCC is a charity, a written valuation report is usually required from a qualified Surveyor (MRICS) to be compliant under the Charities Act. This is to ensure you are paying a fair market price.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

         <\/p>\n

        And, finally, Consecration<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

        You have bought the land and fenced it off, but it is not a \u2018churchyard\u2019 in law until the Bishop has consecrated it.<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Churchwardens \u2018petition\u2019 the Bishop for consecration of the land.<\/li>\n
        2. The Bishop visits and signs the “Sentence of Consecration.”<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Once the land is consecrated, it falls under the Church of England\u2019s “Faculty Jurisdiction”, so adding even a bench or a shed will require the purchase of a \u2018Faculty\u2019, or legal permit, from your Diocese.<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          So, there you have it.\u00a0 Good luck!<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          How to Extend a Rural Graveyard We are running out of grave space at our local church and this article is for anyone who ever wanted to know how you go about extending a rural graveyard.\u00a0 Like Oscar Wilde\u2019s truth, the process is rarely pure and never simple and can have grave repercussions if you … Continue reading “A Grave Situation: What do you do when your Graveyard runs Out of Space?”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"folder":[],"class_list":["post-29539","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nA Grave Situation: What do you do when your Graveyard runs Out of Space? - Property Surveying NEWSLETTER<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.propertysurveying.co.uk\/newsletter\/?page_id=29539\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Grave Situation: What do you do when your Graveyard runs Out of Space? 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