Types of Graves and Rules

Application forms for all interments can be found here

Cremated Remains Sections

Certain areas of the Cemetery have been set aside for the burial of cremated remains. These areas are intended to have a similar overall appearance to a lawned cemetery and the following rules apply:

• Headstone may be no more than 2 feet 6 inches (765mm) high or more than 2 feet (610mm) wide. The base may not exceed 2 feet wide by 1 foot deep.
• The memorial may have up to two vases place on or built into the base.
• No permanent memorials made of wood or metal are allowed
• There will be no garden plots and nothing maybe planted in or placed on the turfed plot.
• No kerb or fences are allowed
• The repair or replacement of memorials remains the sole responsibility of the owner of the Exclusive Right of Burial.
• If the deceased was cremated away from Hastings Crematorium a certificate of cremation must be presented before the interment.

Please note: You are advised to secure ornaments or other tokens placed on graves to the memorial base.

The council has the right of passage over all plots and may temporarily cover or remove a memorial, without notice, for any necessary purpose.

Although it is intended that memorials should be on the form of a headstone. Permits for memorial vases will be issued.

The Manager has the right, without notice, to remove any items place in the Cemetery in contravention of these rules.

Lawned Cemetery

The borders of Division O Section B, Division L Sections L and K and all sections of Division N have been designated as a Lawned Cemetery.  No sooner than 6 months after the burial the Council will sow grass seed over the whole of the grave area with the exception of an area extending two feet from the headstone, which may be used as a garden plot.

 No kerbs, fences or mounds are permitted.

 No trees or shrubs may be planted in any part of the lawned cemetery.

The turf on a grave space may not be cut or interfered with in any way by any unauthorised person and nothing at all may be placed on the turfed area.

 All memorials must be authorised by Hastings Borough Council prior to installation.

 Headstones may not be more than 3 feet (915mm) high or 2 feet 6 inches (765mm) wide and must be between 3 and 6 inches thick.

 No permanent memorials made of wood or metal are allowed.

The repair or replacement of memorials remains the sole responsibility of the owner of the Exclusive right of Burial.

 PLEASE NOTE: You are advised to secure ornaments or other tokens placed on graves to the memorial base.

The Council has the right of passage over all graves and may temporarily cover or remove, without notice, a memorial, plants or flowers on a grave for any necessary purpose. This includes the excavation of another grave nearby which may also entail the placing of spoil from the excavated grave onto the existing grave until the burial ceremony is completed.

The Manager has the right, without notice, to remove any items placed in the Cemetery or to re-instate graves in accordance with these rules.

Natural Burial Section

All graves will be excavated to single or double depth as required.

• Graves may remain “Ordinary Graves” with all Rights ascribed and vested in Hastings Borough Council, but where desired an Exclusive Right of Burial subject to the Rules of the Natural Burial Area may be purchased. (This would be more appropriate where graves are intended to be re-opened at a future date).
• At an appropriate time after each funeral, when soil settlement has taken place, the grave area will be seeded with grass and wild flower seeds at an appropriate time of year.
• The adjacent tree and shrubs are the living memorial and no other forms of memorial of any sort will be allowed at any time. One week after the interment any floral tributes will be removed from the top of the grave, flowers and any memorial placed in the area will be removed. Other forms of memorialisation are available elsewhere in the cemetery including the Book of Remembrance. Details may be obtained from the Cemetery Office.
• Only bio-degradable coffins may be used. These may be of cardboard subject to their being capable of conveying the body decently to the graveside and being lowered into the grave
• Arrangements exist for the reservations of an adjoining burial plot in the cemetery and these facilities will be available to those people using the Natural Burial area who wish to be buried beside another family member or loved one. The Pre-purchasing of a grave space is not permitted. Further where the deceased was a resident of the Borough at the date of death graves may remain “Ordinary Graves” with all Rights ascribed and vested in Hastings Borough Council, but where desired an Exclusive Right of Burial may be purchased, subject to the Rules of the Natural Burial Area (This being appropriate where graves are intended to be re-opened at a future date). An “ordinary grave” option is only available where the deceased was a resident of the Borough at time of death. For non-residents of the Borough Rights must be purchased in all cases and a double fee will be applied.
• Caskets containing cremated remains may be interred or strewn into existing graves but no provision has been made for cremated remains plots in the natural burial area. A grave plot will not be allocated solely for the interment or strewing of ashes. A separate Woodland Walk area in a natural copse has been designated for the placement of cremated remains in a similar natural setting.
• Since the natural burial area is to be managed for the benefit of wildlife it will not resemble a traditional cemetery. The area for Natural burials will not be mowed in the way that the rest of the cemetery is and graves must not be interfered with by cutting or mowing by anyone other than  authorised personnel. During the course of its ‘return to nature’ the area will appear to be overgrown and unkempt and this is the intention. Any outside attempts to ameliorate this situation or make ’tidier or prettier’ will not be allowed.

The Manager has the right, without notice, to remove unauthorised items placed in the Cemetery or to re-instate graves in accordance with these rules. Leaflet

Traditional grave

Shrubs planted over graves shall be subject to approval by the Council and in no case shall forest trees be planted over graves. Notice of intention to plant shrubs shall be given to the Manager of the Cemetery previous to the same being planted.

• The Council reserve to themselves the right to trim, cut down, or dig up and remove any shrubs or plants which in their opinion have become unsightly or overgrown, in the event of the person in whom the exclusive right of burial in the grave on which such shrub or plants stand vested, fails to trim, cut down or remove any such shrub or plant after 14 days' notice in writing has been sent by registered post to the registered owner or owners at his or their registered address or in cases of extreme emergency without notice.
• No wood, iron or metal memorial or tablets will be allowed in the Cemetery except on special War Graves. The Manager has authority to remove without notice anything placed on a grave space which contravenes these regulations.
• Application for permission to erect or place any memorial or tablet, etc., must be made at the Managers Office on forms provided for that purpose. The form of application must be signed by the registered owner or their executors in the case of new erections, additional inscriptions and for permission to remove memorials out of the cemetery.
• With a view to securing uniformity, as far as possible, in the Cemetery, the position of all memorials and monuments etc., shall be subject to the approval of the Cemetery Committee or its officers.
• Any monument, stone or curb erected or placed on a grave required to be open for an interment therein, shall be removed by and at the expense of the owner of the grave or the person giving the order for the interment, and shall be re-erected or placed by and at the expense of such owner or person as soon as practicable after the interment, any such memorial, if un-numbered shall have the number of the grave space engraved thereon before re-erection takes place.
• The Council reserves to itself the right of passage over all graves and where such a course is necessary, temporary to cover or remove, without notice, the memorial upon any grave in order to permit the reopening of another grave in the vicinity or for any other purpose.
• The top surface of any foundation stone must be at least one inch below the level of surrounding turf.
  The fixing and re-fixing of all memorials, when commenced, shall be proceeded with from day to day until completed, or the order of the erection thereof shall become void.
• All monuments, stones, curbs, tablets and all places of burial shall be kept clean and in good repair by the owners thereof respectively (except in cases where arrangements have been made for this to be done by The Council); and on default by the owners after 14 days' notice in writing has been sent by registered post to the registered owner or owners at his or their registered address, the same shall be forfeited to The Council, who shall be entitled to take possession thereof, and the ground belonging thereto.
• Any person erecting or placing a monument, stone or curb in the burial ground shall cause to be engraved upon its previous to erection the section and number of the grave over which it is to be erected or placed, in letters of not less than ¾" in height, such letters to be properly leaded or blacked. The number must be engraved on the front of the memorial at least 3" above ground level.
• No monumental erection or material shall be brought into the Cemetery unless required for immediate use or erection.
• No advertising boards or tablets shall be placed on or around any monumental erection. Nor shall any form of advertisement be placed or displayed in any part of the Cemetery. 
  All persons (not being members of The Council's staff) engaged on work in the Cemetery in connection with the graves, monuments, stones, curbs, tablets, or otherwise, shall comply with all reasonable direction and requirements of the Manager.
• No monumental erections, repairs, renovations or other monumental work shall be carried out without notice in writing at least 24 hours previous to commencing work being given to the Manager, and the consent in writing obtained from the owner of grave space.
• No stones shall be hewn, sawn or dressed within the precincts of the Cemetery unless with the permission of the Corporation or the Manager. The regulation shall not apply to the making of any additional inscription.
  All monumental erections shall be properly fastened with dowels or cramps or copper or other in corrodible material, to be approved by the Council or the Manager.
• For practical reasons the maximum overall kerb size permissible has to be 7ft long by 2ft 6 inches and is advisable for material to be a minimum of 3" thick.

Children's Section

Kerbs, Fences and other surrounds should not exceed 3 ft 6 inches (107cm) by 2ft (61cm)
Where enclosed graves appear uncared for we reserve the right to remove surrounds and mow the area ourselves.
All ornaments and other mementoes should be kept within the grave space and ideally should be secured to the memorial base.

Please note: any form or memorial erected on a purchased grave is the sole responsibility of the owner or the Exclusive Right of Burial.

The council has the right of passage over all graves and may temporarily cover or remove, without notice, a memorial, plants or flowers on a grave for any necessary purpose. This includes the excavation of another grave nearby which may also entail the placing of spoil from the excavated grave onto the existing grave until the burial ceremony is completed.

The Manager has the right, without notice, to remove unauthorised items placed in the Cemetery or to re-instate graves in accordance with these rules.

The Cemetery Manager will be glad to give advice and assistance on all the above matters upon request.