Frequently asked questions about burials
Can I reserve a grave for use in the future?
Yes. You can purchase a grave in advance at Knowsley
Cemetery at Foxes Bank Lane. This can often give peace of
mind.
The application form can be found here. Please refer to our
fees and
charges for more information.
Do I own the grave?
No. You purchase the Right of Burial to the grave space,
which means that only you or a person of your choice can be buried
within the grave. The actual grave belongs to the local
authority, as do the cemetery grounds.
Why have I only been sold the Burial Rights for a set period of
time?
What happens when the lease expires?
The law stipulates that graves cannot be sold for more than 100
years and authorities cannot break the law. When you buy a
grave you purchase the exclusive Rights of Burial in that grave
space for a set period of time. At the end of the period you (or
your family) should be given the option of renewing the rights for
a further period. This way, the grave can stay in the family for as
long as they wish.
What happens if / when all the owners have died?
Ownership of the exclusive Right of Burial in a grave can be
transferred from a deceased owner via that owner’s estate. The
means of transfer can be very complex and while there is a set
procedure to follow, each case must be looked at individually.
The application form can be found here. If you need to transfer
ownership when all owners are deceased, you will need to contact
the Bereavement Services Office where staff will arrange for a
transfer to take place in due compliance with law.
How many people can be buried in the grave?
All new burial graves at Knowsley Cemetery are one, two, or
three interments. Each burial grave will also allow for 4 cremated
remains caskets in addition to the interment of coffins or
caskets.
Our new cremated remains graves at Knowsley Cemetery will
accommodate six cremated remains caskets. Cremated remains graves
at Prescot Cemetery will accommodate four cremated remains
caskets.
I own the Burial Rights – can anyone else be buried in it if I
don’t want them to?
No. Graves cannot be opened without the permission in writing of
the registered owner of the grave. The only exception to this is
where the burial is to be that of the registered owner in which
case no written authority is required. The law protects your rights
as registered owner of the grave.
Is it true that bodies can be removed from graves?
Yes, this is known as an exhumation. An exhumation can be
arranged if a family chooses to move the body, but only the owner
of the Right of Burial can ask for it. An exhumation is only
granted for a full earth burial.
Either a ‘home office licence’ or a ‘church faculty’ has to be
applied for, (dependent on the religious denomination of the
ground), and the exhumation can only take place if one of these is
granted. Exhumations are very expensive because senior bereavement
officers, gravediggers, the Safety Officer, Environmental Health
Officer and in some cases the police supervise the exhumation.
Can you locate a relative’s grave for me?
Yes, we retain records of all burials, graves and memorials
currently within our cemeteries. If you are undertaking a
genealogy study or require details covering a period of time there
will be a charge to provide you with this information.
Please complete this form and
refer to our fees and
charges for further information.
How much does a burial cost?
Please refer to our fees and
charges.
How do I make the necessary arrangements?
Most people use the services of a funeral director who will
organise the funeral by collecting and removing the body, arranging
embalming and viewing of the deceased, providing a coffin, plus a
hearse and other vehicles. They will also contact the crematorium,
clergy and doctors to ensure that all necessary arrangements are
made, as well as the newspaper if you wish to have an obituary
notice published.
However there is no reason why you cannot make all the
arrangements yourself, including the provision of a coffin and
transportation of the deceased to the cemetery if you prefer to do
so.
Why are graves dug so deep?
Graves have to be dug to a sufficient depth to allow for future
burials to take place. Therefore the grave needs to be deep enough
to allow the depth of the coffins / caskets to be buried, and also
the legal requirements of at least six inches of undisturbed earth
to be between each coffin and the amount of earth that must cover
the last interment.
Can the family lower the coffin themselves?
Yes, but the cemetery will need to be advised of this before the
funeral takes place. The funeral director can help you to
complete the necessary indemnity form, as part of the overall
arrangements.
Are graves filled in straight after a funeral?
Graves are prepared for burial at least one full day before the
funeral and are covered overnight. The ICCM Guiding Principals for
Burial Services states that immediately after the mourners have
departed the graveside, the grave shall be entirely backfilled and
made tidy. This work is completed on the day of the burial and
coffins should not be left uncovered overnight. Knowsley follows
the ICCM Safe Code of Practice for Burials.
Can I witness the grave being filled?
Yes, but the cemetery will need to be advised of this before the
funeral takes place so that they are prepared.
Can cremated remains be scattered on the top of a grave?
No. We only allow actual interments of cremated remains
within a grave. Where a family chooses scattering, we insist
on this being in the Garden of Remembrance.
To purchase a cremation plot, download the application
form.
Can I scatter the cremated remains myself?
No. Staff from the cemetery will assist you if you wish to
scatter the remains in the Garden of Remembrance. Please make an
appointment through the Bereavement Services Office and a member of
staff will assist you.
If you are taking the cremated remains elsewhere, you must
follow procedures and seek permission of the landowner wherever
possible.
