Burial Ground

The Burial Ground in Long Ashton is situated beyond the closed churchyard around All Saints Church. It is run and maintained by the Parish Council. The Parish Council also maintains the closed churchyard. No new plots are available in the closed churchyard but occasionally interments can be made into existing graves of family members if there is sufficient space in the plot. All enquiries about interments in the closed churchyard should be made to the Church Office (01275 393109).

The Parish Council Burial Ground was opened in the early seventies and accepts burials of bodies and cremated remains.

All arrangements for burials and interment of ashes should be made through an undertaker/funeral director who will co-ordinate with the Parish Council, arrange for the grave to be dug and arrange payment for all fees due. Arrangements for memorials should be made through a Monumental Mason who should be BRAMM accredited.

In most circumstances burials (including interment of cremated remains) are restricted to:

• Persons who were resident in the Parish of Long Ashton at the time of death, irrespective of the period of residence.
• Persons who had resided in the Parish of Long Ashton or any part of the Parish affected by Local Government Boundary changes prior to those changes being made.
• Persons who during the five years prior to death had been regular attenders at All Saints Church, subject to the observations of the Vicar on the authenticity and merits of any such applications, and the approval of the Burial Ground Committee or its nominees.

However, if there are exceptional circumstances, requests to be buried in the burial ground from people not meeting the criteria will be considered by the appropriate committee of the Parish Council in their absolute discretion.

For fees, see PART 1 INTERMENTS

Plots are allocated as and when required – you cannot reserve a plot. At the moment, there is plenty of space within the burial ground. You can choose from:

• a body burial in an earthen grave with a headstone or memorial vase
• a cremation plot for the interment of ashes with a memorial tablet
• a cremation plot the interment of ashes in the Garden of Remembrance with a maximum of two bronze plaques side by side on the wall adjacent

For fees, see PART 1 INTERMENTS and PART 4 GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE

The purchaser of a plot also purchases a deed of grant, which grants the right to exclusive use of the plot for a period of eighty years (called the Exclusive Right of Burial (EROB)). This deed proves ownership and will be needed if another burial/interment of ashes in the same plot is requested. For fees, see PART 2 EXCLUSIVE RIGHT OF BURIAL IN EARTHEN GRAVE

See our Guide to Exclusive Right of Burial (EROB) for more information and to find the relevant associated forms such as the Assignment of Exclusive Right of Burial, the Statutory Declaration for Change of Ownership for Exclusive Right of Burial, plus Renunciation forms.

A subsequent burial in an existing burial plot can only happen if the grave was originally dug deep enough to allow a second burial. There is almost always room to allow interment of ashes in a burial plot, but once this has happened it is unlikely that a second burial will be able to be accommodated. The cremated remains plots (of either type) will take two normal-size caskets, or the remains may be loosely interred without a casket. However, once there has been a loose interment there can be no subsequent interments.

The Burial Ground is kept as a lawned area, partly for ease of maintenance but also to ensure it remains a pleasant place for all to visit, so when you purchase a plot you will be asked to sign an Acknowledgment Form agreeing to keep the area as an open plan lawn and not to dig up any area or plant any shrubs or flowers around the graves. In the Garden of Remembrance, plastic vases can be inserted in the ground by the wall and relatives can put flowers into these containers. For the Garden of Remembrance, you will be asked to sign a form to acknowledge that only small memorial plaques are allowed and the area must remain open-plan. As next of kin, you agree (on behalf of yourself and your successors) not to dig up or plant around graves. Permission for planting shrubs in designated areas must be requested in writing from the Parish Council, and any approved shrubs will be maintained by your family as well as the Council.

For safety reasons, to avoid serious injury to gardeners, glass jars/vases should never be used on any type of plot even on a temporary basis and they will be removed if seen.

All designs must be approved by the Parish Council before installation (see Memorial Request Form). There are no hard and fast rules laid down (other than limitations on size) except that photo memorials are not permitted. Where a design is unusual it will go to the Burial Ground Committee for approval. The committee will consider how the design will sit with other memorials already in place and whether it is appropriate for a village burial ground - its decision is final.

There is a fee for the right to erect a memorial (except in the case of a plot in the Garden of Remembrance where the right is included in the plot fee) and an additional fee for a second plaque/inscription. For fees, see PART 3 MEMORIALS, HEADSTONES, TABLETS AND INSCRIPTIONS

The Book of Remembrance is displayed in All Saints Church opened at the appropriate date, and updated twice a year. Relatives will be offered the opportunity to make an entry in it when the Deed of Grant is sent. For fees, see PART 6 BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE (See also Book of Remembrance Form 2025)

Long Ashton Parish Council understands and respects the wishes of its residents to commemorate occasions and remember loved ones through donations such as memorial benches and trees to be placed on land owned and maintained by the Parish Council. The Parish Council wishes to endorse such donations, whilst taking into account the needs and wishes of all residents.

It is the policy of the Parish Council to consider all such applications for donations, but reserves the right to refuse any application which it deems inappropriate for any reason. The decision of the Parish Council shall be final.

Wanting to organise a large group event? If the event is taking place solely within the Closed Churchyard (the area surrounding All Saints Church), then the Parish Council has no formal role in approving or authorising the activity, as we do not own or control that land. Our responsibility under Section 215 of the Local Government Act 1972 is limited to maintenance, such as keeping paths, walls, and gates in decent order.

As the Closed Churchyard remains Church-owned and consecrated, any permissions required (such as a faculty from the Diocese) would be a matter for All Saints Church to arrange. Likewise, insurance for the event would need to be provided by the Church, as the Parish Council's cover does not extend to that land.

If any part of the event is proposed to take place in the Burial Ground or meadow (which is owned and managed by the Parish Council), please contact the Parish Council.

Please send all enquiries and correspondence about the Burial Ground to office@longashtonparishcouncil.gov.uk