Churchyards in England are governed by Church of England diocesan regulations, not the local council. Cemeteries are controlled by the burial authority under the Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order 1977. Both require formal consent before any memorial is placed. Churchyards generally allow only natural stone with a non-reflective finish, within set size limits, and usually prohibit polished granite, marble, kerb sets, and shaped memorials such as hearts or books.
Cemeteries tend to be more flexible on materials and designs, but still have their own rules on size, section, and fixing method. No one has an automatic right to install any memorial in either setting. Speaking to a BRAMM-accredited memorial mason early on is the simplest way to avoid a design being refused.
Churchyard or Cemetery: Why the Rules Are Different
When someone you love has been buried, thinking about a headstone usually comes a little later. The first few months are taken up with other things. Then, when families do start looking, one of the first surprises is that the rules are not set by the stonemason – they are set by whoever manages the burial ground.
In Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, and North East Lincolnshire, that might mean a Church of England churchyard, a council-run cemetery, or sometimes a smaller parish or town council burial ground. Each has different rules, and those rules can vary even between neighbouring parishes or cemetery sections.
This article explains the main differences in plain English. It is general guidance, not legal advice, because each diocese and each local authority sets its own detailed regulations. We work within those rules day to day and can check what applies to your specific burial ground before anything is ordered.
The Short Version
- Churchyards are governed by the Church of England, through diocesan regulations and the authority of the diocesan chancellor – not the local council.
- Local authority cemeteries are controlled by the burial authority under the Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order 1977 and the council’s own cemetery rules.
- Churchyards typically allow only certain natural stones, in non-reflective finishes, within strict size limits. Polished granite, marble, kerb sets, heart shapes, and book memorials are often not permitted.
- Cemeteries are usually more flexible on materials and designs, but still have approved sizes, section-specific rules, and a permit process that must be completed before any work begins.
- In both settings, consent is required. Memorials that do not comply can be refused or removed.
- Talking to a BRAMM-accredited memorial mason early on is the best way to avoid a design being turned down later.
Why This Catches Families Out
It is very common for families to choose a design from a brochure, or to have seen something they liked in another burial ground, without realising that rules can differ significantly just a few miles away.
A dark polished heart memorial may be perfectly acceptable in one cemetery section and completely outside the regulations for a nearby churchyard. A full kerb set that looks right in a traditional cemetery plot might not be permitted in a modern lawn section run by the same council. We see this happen more often than people might expect.
The difficulty is that by the time this comes up, families have often already become emotionally attached to a particular design. Having to change it – or worse, hearing that something has been ordered and then refused – is upsetting for everyone. Getting clear information early makes a real difference.
Church of England Churchyard Rules
Churchyards are not managed under the same laws as council cemeteries. They come under the Church of England, through the diocesan chancellor and the churchyard regulations published by each diocese.
In practice, the vicar or minister has limited authority to approve straightforward headstones that fall clearly within the set rules. Anything outside those rules needs a faculty – a formal permission from the church court.
Typical rules across Church of England churchyards in England include:
- Upright headstones only, within specific height, width, and thickness limits.
- Natural stone, usually sandstone, limestone, slate, or lighter granite, with a non-reflective finish.
- No highly polished or mirror-like surfaces, and often no marble.
- Restrictions or outright prohibitions on kerb sets, heart shapes, book memorials, and mass-produced “box” style stones.
- Inscriptions that are accurate and in keeping with the setting, with limits on lettering styles and coloured infills.
Because each diocese sets its own regulations, we always work from the current guidance for the specific churchyard rather than assume that rules applying elsewhere will apply there too. What is allowed in one parish may not be allowed in the next.
Local Authority Cemetery Rules
Council cemeteries operate under the Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order 1977, which requires the burial authority’s consent before any memorial is placed. In practice, this means a memorial permit application – usually submitted by the memorial mason and signed by the grave owner – setting out the stone, size, design, and inscription for approval.
Cemeteries are generally more flexible than churchyards. Polished granite, darker colours, heart designs, and kerb sets are often acceptable, though this depends on the section. Many councils manage both traditional and lawn sections within the same cemetery, and lawn areas often have stricter rules: typically only simple headstones, with no kerbs, chippings, or fencing.
Each burial authority sets its own maximum dimensions for headstones, bases, kerb sets, and flat tablets, and can refuse anything considered unsuitable or unsafe. Many also specify fixing requirements to make sure memorials remain stable, in line with wider memorial safety guidance.
We check the current rules, section by section, before finalising any design. That way families are not left trying to interpret technical size tables or legal notes on their own.
What a Good Memorial Mason Will Always Do
A caring, experienced mason will ask early on whether the grave is in a churchyard or a particular cemetery section. If a preferred design is unlikely to be approved, they will say so clearly but without making you feel you have done anything wrong.
In our experience, most families are very reasonable once things are explained. What people want, above all else, is not to be caught out by something they could not have known. We can usually suggest alternatives that keep the spirit of what you had in mind while staying within the rules.
We handle the permit or faculty paperwork wherever we can, and we take the time to walk through the options properly – not just send a brochure and wait to be asked.
How We Help Families Across Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire Memorials are fully qualified, BRAMM accredited, and on the Register of Qualified Memorial Fixers. We work to recognised safety and fixing standards in churchyards and cemeteries right across Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, and North East Lincolnshire.
We install headstones, churchyard memorials, lawn memorials, kerb sets, and children’s memorials across a wide range of local burial grounds. We also carry out grave restoration and cleaning where the rules allow.
If you are at the early stages of thinking about a memorial and are not sure what will be permitted, bring your ideas – however rough – and we will talk them through with you. We can check the current diocesan or council regulations for your specific burial ground and help you find something that feels right for your loved one, and is right for where they rest.
Call us on 01472 453700 or email info@lincolnshirememorials.com – we are always happy to help.
Questions Families Ask About Churchyard and Cemetery Rules
Do I need permission to put up a headstone in a churchyard?
Yes, always. Nobody has an automatic right to place a memorial in a Church of England churchyard. The vicar or minister can approve straightforward headstones that fall clearly within the diocesan regulations, but anything outside those rules requires a faculty, which is a formal permission from the church court. Your memorial mason can guide you through this process.
Can I have a polished black granite headstone in a churchyard?
Usually not. Most Church of England dioceses do not permit highly polished or dark granites in churchyards. Natural stones such as sandstone, limestone, slate, or lighter granites with a non-reflective finish are typically required. Rules vary between dioceses, so it is worth checking the specific regulations for your churchyard before choosing a stone.
Are the rules the same in all sections of a council cemetery?
No. Many cemeteries include both traditional sections and lawn sections, and the rules can differ significantly between them. Kerb sets, chippings, and fencing are often not permitted in lawn areas, even within the same cemetery. Your memorial mason should check the specific section rules before finalising any design.
What happens if a memorial does not comply with the rules?
In both churchyards and cemeteries, a non-compliant memorial can be refused before installation or, in some cases, required to be removed afterwards. This is why it is so important to check the current regulations for the specific burial ground before ordering anything. A BRAMM-accredited mason will do this as a matter of course.
