Mansfield council shares advice on memorialising gravestones in cemeteries

When a family chooses to bury their loved one or inter their cremated remains there is a choice of grave options.

The two main types of graves available across the district are traditional or lawn graves.

Other options include cremated remains and woodland burial plots, all of which can be pre-purchased.

A traditional grave allows families to erect a kerb set made from natural stone around the body of the grave, allowing for further personalisation of the grave space.

This option can give the family a greater choice over the memorial design and personalisation, with a memorial stone placed at the head of the grave.

Lawn graves differ from traditional graves in that the ground surrounding the area is grassed, with the area regularly mown by council staff.

These graves are offered for those who want to place a memorial headstone only on a grave space.

Memorial items are allowed on the plinth only, to ensure the area remains tidy and does not create a hazard to others visiting the cemetery.

All grave spaces purchased have specific rules that the grave owner is required to adhere to.

These are laid out in the cemetery rules and regulations, detailed during the purchasing process.

Failure to adhere to the rules and regulations is classed as an infringement.

Mariam Amos, strategic director at Mansfield Council, said: “Periodically we look at all graves within the cemetery area which can have an array of items.

“Such as lanterns, chippings, chimes, ornaments, windmills, fencing and planted shrubs placed in front of and around the headstone.

“We are seeing a small number of families memorialising their loved ones in this way, but they go against the regulations signed for those specific grave spaces.

“If you are maintaining a lawn grave but adding fencing, plants or trinkets to anywhere but the headstone – this is an infringement as it hinders our staff from

maintaining the area.

“The last thing we want to do is cause any unnecessary upset if trinkets have been moved or damaged due to our usual maintenance works.

“This is why we are working with families to remind them of the applicable guidance for the two main grave settings.

“Whilst we appreciate that families may wish to personalise their grave space, we must ensure that the cemetery is a safe, tidy, and accessible place for all.”

Mansfield council has begun sending infringement letters to families this week, to remind them of the rules and regulations of the cemeteries and respectfully ask

they are removed by a specified date.

The council staff will remove any memorial items left after this date; however, this is a last resort option if families don’t comply with our request.