United Benefice of

St John the Baptist’s Church, Ault Hucknall and St Leonard’s Church, Scarcliffe

GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR

THE ERECTION OF MEMORIALS AND GRAVESTONES IN CHURCHYARDS (1990)

The following Regulations are intended to ensure the conservation of the character of our churchyards and to encourage good design. Applications conforming with the Regulations may be authorised by the parish priest (or if there is no parish priest for the time being, by the Rural Dean); if an application does NOT comply, a faculty must be sought from the Chancellor.

1.      Materials

a) Materials must harmonise with the natural local landscape and local stones are preferred

b) The following materials will generally be permitted:

Natural stone: limestones (including Nabresina, Boticino and certain suitable Portuguese stones), sandstones, Stancliffe or Darley Dale stone grey granite (no darker than Rustenburg grey) and slate

Woods: teak and oak

c) In certain churchyards within the Peak Park sandstone only is permitted in sandstone areas and limestone only in limestone areas.

d) The following materials are not permitted:

Black, blue or red granites and all granites, which have had all their surfaces, polished, any marble, synthetic stone, plastic materials, metal and terra cotta

e) If clergy are in any doubt about the colour or the suitability of the stone for a particular churchyard, they should ask for a sample.

2.        Finish

Polishing shall not be greater than that required to give a good smooth finish and must be confined to the face of the gravestone on which the inscription is to be cut. Mirror polishing is not permitted.

3.       Dimensions

a) Headstones (including base): No larger than 48' high, 36" wide and 6" thick (120 x 90 x 15 cms); no less than 30” high, 2O" wide and 3” thick (75 x 50 x 7.5 cms) but in the case of slate 1.5' thick.

Horizontal slabs: no larger than 84” x 35” (210 x 90 cms) including base flush with the ground extending not more than (13 cms) round the stone

Vases: should not be more than 12” high firmly sunk into the ground and not left free-standing on the grave

4 Design

a) Headstones may be placed on a base of the same material and fixed so that the base:

i) Does not project above the ground more than the thickness of the gravestone

ii) Does not project more than 4" (10 cms) beyond the headstone. A receptacle for flowers may be incorporated in the base, in which case it should be flush with the top of the base and might extend up to 8” (20 cms) in front of the headstone.

b) Carving may be allowed, but the design must be submitted with the application form.

c) The following are not permitted:

Curbs, railings, plain or coloured chippings, containers of any kind (N.B. free-standing vases or glass in particular are dangerous), figure statuary, open books, birdbaths, pictorial etchings, memorials in the shape of a head, cameos, portraiture or photographs.

d) If it is desired to erect a cross, other than a simple wooden cross, not more than 36' (92 cms) in height, it should be individually designed and a FACULTY is required for its erection. In the petition, reasons for requiring this supreme Christian symbol must be fully stated.

5.     Cremated Remains

a) Cremated remains may be interred in an existing grave, or otherwise in a part of the churchyard specifically reserved for the purpose under the authority of a Faculty.

b) Where an area of the churchyard is set aside by Faculty, then conditions will be laid down as to the manner in which the deceased may be commemorated. Usually, and preferably, this will be done by means of a Book of Remembrance kept in the church.  Only if specific permission is given by the Faculty may properly bedded tablets of stone of a suitable shape laid flush with the ground be used, of a size not exceeding 21” x 21”  (53 x 53 cms).

6.     Inscriptions

Details. The Christian name and surname of the deceased should be given, with age and date (or year) of death, or the years of birth and death.

Epitaphs: The object of epitaphs is "to identify the resting place of the deceased, to honour the dead, to comfort the living and to inform posterity". They should, therefore, be simple and relevant. Nicknames are not considered suitable, and if a scripture text is used it is unnecessary to give me reference.  Quotations may be taken not only from the Bible: the prayer book, hymns, poetry and prose are all suitable sources so long as the quotation is consistent with Christian belief.

c) Lettering may be painted a shade lighter or darker than the natural colour of the stone.  On some sandstones and granites, raised lettering standing out from the cutaway stone can be effective.

d) The following are not permitted.

Gilded, silvered and leaded lettering: trademarks or advertisements The mason’s name may be inscribed at the side or on the reverse of the headstone in unpainted and unleaded letters not larger than .5" (15 mm) in height

Additions may be made to an inscription at a later date following a subsequent interment in the same grave, but approval is required and the wording must be consistent with the original inscription.

THESE REGULATIONS APPLY TO THE DIOCESE OF DERBY AS A WHOLE; THEY CAN BE VARIED ONLY BY THE CHANCELLOR FOR PARTICULAR CHURCHYARDS OR PORTIONS OF CHURCHYARDS

HOWEVER, WHERE THE PARISH PRIEST CONSIDERS THAT BY REASON OF PAST PRACTICE OR FOR OTHER GOOD REASONS, STRICT COMPLIANCE with THESE REGULATIONS IS NOT DESIRABLE IN ANY INDIVIDUAL CASE, HE MUST CONSULT WITH THE ARCHDEACON AND FOLLOW HIS DIRECTIONS.

a) These Regulations shall take effect subject to any Faculty or direction, whether particular or general, which has been or may be given by the Chancellor from time to time.

b) These Regulations supersede ALL previous general Regulations and shall come into effect on the 1st June 1990.