The Churchyards

The churchyard is an important place within the community. It is not only a place of rest for the remains of loved ones who have died, it is also a ministry to their living and bereaved relatives and friends. For this reason there are Diocesan Regulations which guard the space from misuse and keep the area safe for those who mourn, as well as those who maintain it.  

Ardleigh Churchyard is closed to new burials, but there is a small area for the internment of ashes. The Parish Council maintains a Cemetery in the village 

Please contact the office if you would like to discuss an internment of ashes.  Memorial tablets can only be arranged through a PCC approved stonemason.

Dedham Churchyard Regulations  ‘Private remembrance in a public place’

Chelmsford Diocesan Churchyard Regulations and links are available at:  Churchyard Handbook February 2022 Edition 

This handbook will give a fuller background to the reasons for the PCC regulations below.  A copy of the handbook is available in the church.

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) Regulations are as follows:

1. Memorials should not be placed or altered without the permission of the Minister or Churchwarden granted through a CR 1 Application form. Only certain types of stone are allowed, please see the Diocesan Churchyard regulations. 

2. The colouring of the lettering on the memorial is permitted to be in either black, gold or silver only. 

3. Once the soil has settled after the burial, turf or grass seed will be applied to return the plot to its original grassed condition. Flower beds or areas of bare soil are not allowed.

4. The only flower containers or tributes allowed are those made of stone (which means that plastic, glass, china, terracotta or cloth material are not allowed). These containers should be placed next to the headstone to enable grass cutting to take place. No artificial flowers are allowed. Shrubbery and plants are not allowed. Bulbs are allowed within 8 inches of the headstone. the length restriction is due to mowing. Only snowdrops, crocuses and cyclamen are permitted. 

5. Wire, nylon or plastic netting are not allowed.

6. Grave borders should be in stone - metal or wood borders are not allowed

7. After a year all earth mounds or extensions beyond the footprint of an authorised memorial will be removed.

8. Each year, after 1st February, as part of the periodic and regular maintenance of our church burial grounds the following will be removed from graves: Remembrance Poppies and Wreaths, Advent Wreaths and Christmas tributes from last year

9. Wreaths at the anniversary of the death of the deceased may be left for a limited period of two weeks; in due course they will be removed and without further notice.

10. Whereas some leeway is given to those who have been recently bereaved, particularly in the area set aside for the graves of children, after a year all memorials and tributes must be within Diocese of Chelmsford regulations.

updated January 2023

These regulations are for the overall appearance of our much-loved country churchyard for present and future generations, as well as for the safety of those who have to maintain it and to visit it. If you have any cause for concern about a particular grave, please contact the Parish Office