Exclusive Rights Information

The Deed of Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial is an official document which confirms with the purchaser their right to burial within a defined grave space in the cemetery. There is a popular belief that the grave itself is purchased. In fact, only the rights of burial are purchased and not the land itself, which remains the property of the burial authority.

Bodmin Town Council issues new Deeds of Grant of Exclusive Right of 50 years, allowing the purchase of extensions at the end of that period at 10 year increments up to a maximum of 100 years. Renewing or extending the Deed of Grant of Exclusive Right is strongly recommended. With so many Exclusive Rights on its records, the Council is unable to send reminders and the responsibility of renewal lies with the Deedholder’s, who should contact the Council to arrange an extension.

The Exclusive Rights of Burial is for up to a maximum two normal interments within the grave plot. However, when the maximum of two normal interments has been reached, the plot may still be utilised for the interment of cremated remains.

It is important for the Deedholder to retain the Deed in a secure place, as it is the only legal document held by the owner confirming their entitlement to the burial and memorial rights.

After the rights have lapsed, grave ownership reverts to the Council and the Council is at liberty to reuse or resell any space remaining.

Only human remains may be interred in the Cemetery (plus any small articles that can be reasonably contained in a standard coffin or casket).

Please note that only persons employed by the Council can carry out excavations for interments.

A certificate of the Register of Births and Deaths, or in the case of an inquest, a Coroner’s Order for the Burial, must be delivered to the Clerk or other authorised officer, prior to the interment.

In the period following a burial, the grave surface will naturally be subject to soil settlement. The initial settlement usually lasts for about six to nine months, during which time the surface will be topped-off by cemetery staff as required. Once the initial settlement has taken place, the surface will be grassed over. Over future years the grave naturally continues to settle and may require re-surfacing from time to time. This work is usually carried out in the late autumn or early winter, but Cemetery staff will be pleased to top-off / resurface a grave when requested by the Exclusive Rightholder.

Detailed drawings, together with a copy of any inscriptions, must be submitted for the approval of the Burial Authority and the work on the construction shall not commence until approval has been received in writing and the appropriate fee has been paid.

Please be aware that in addition to the fee charged for the Exclusive Right of Burial, an Interment Fee for opening and closing a grave is charged. The Interment Fee is charged every time a grave is opened for an interment and the level of the fee depends on the depth to be opened and the scale of charges that applies at the time. The current schedule of charges can be found on Cemetery Fees.

The New Cemetery, where most new interments occur, is operated in what is known as a lawn style. Using this system helps the Council maintain the cemetery efficiently and makes the excavation of graves for future burials more straightforward. The types of memorials that are allowed are set out in the Memorial Regulations and whilst visitors are welcome to place flowers in vases attached to the headstone or floral tributes on the headstone base the placing of flowers, shrubs and trees, including annual plants, on the grave is not permitted. The Council reserves the right to remove and dispose of such planting without notice or compensation.