Trefriw Community Council
©Trefriw Community Council 2014
Buying a grave
The majority of graves are bought at the time of a burial, usually through a funeral director, who will purchase the grave on your behalf as part of the funeral arrangements. You may also purchase direct from the Council.
In the past, graves may have been purchased many years in advance of a burial and often people purchased a grave space if they wished to be buried near loved ones or in a particular part of a cemetery. Because of the current shortage of land for burials the Council has decided not to sell graves in advance any more.
If you own a grave, please tell us about any changes of address so that we can keep our records up-to-date.
You can download a plan of the existing cemetery by clicking on this link TREFRIW CEMETERY
Exclusive Right of Burial
The person who leases the Exclusive Right of Burial is called the Grantee. The law requires the written consent of the Grantee before any burial can take place in that particular grave, unless it is the Grantee who is to be buried. There is an assumption in law that the Grantee is entitled to be buried in the grave that he or she owns, providing the grave is suitable for further burials.
Extent of Purchaser's Rights
When you buy a grave, you do not buy the land that the grave occupies; you actually pay for leasing the Exclusive Right of Burial for a fixed duration, usually for 100 years. Ownership of the Exclusive Right of Burial does not imply ownership of the land itself or the right to carry out any particular activity on the grave plot. The land is still owned by Trefriw Community Council. Ownership does however allow the owner to decide who may be buried there.
Deed of Grant of Exclusive Right of Burial
The Deed of Grant is an important document and should be stored in a safe place. Listed below are some items of information concerning the rights and associated responsibilities of the person named on the Deed.
Use of the Grave for Burial
Where Exclusive Right of Burial has been granted in respect of the grave and a request is made to prepare it for a burial, the Deed of Grant must be presented to the Clerk.
If the Deed of Grant is lost, the person requesting that the grave is opened must make a written declaration that they have the right to do so. Possession of a Deed does not of itself give any person the right to have a grave opened. That right lies only with the person named on the Deed as owner of Exclusive Right of Burial in that grave.
Renewal of Exclusive Right of Burial
Exclusive Right of Burial is granted for periods of 100 years only. After this period has elapsed a letter of notification will be sent to the last known address of the person named on the Deed. Exclusive Right of Burial can then be renewed at the rates for purchase applicable at that time. It is important, therefore, that you inform us of any change of address, in writing, so that we can amend our records.
Where a request is made to use the grave for burial or to erect a headstone after Rights of Burial have lapsed, it may be possible to make a backdated renewal.
In response to previous enquiries please note that although Exclusive Right of Burial is granted for a period of 100 years, this does not imply any intention on our part to resell the grave or reuse it in any way that would cause disturbance to human remains, or to remove any memorial except for reasons of safety.
Transfer of Exclusive Right of Burial
If you wish to transfer Exclusive Right of Burial to another person, you can do so by means of a form obtainable here or from the Clerk. There is a small administration charge for this service. It is important to note that transfer of Exclusive Right of Burial does not alter the expiry date of the original Right of Burial.
If you need more information about buying a grave or placing a memorial on one you already own, please contact the Clerk.
Mr Andrew Bradshaw, Clerk to the Council,
Trefriw Community Council,
East,
Trefriw,
Conwy,
LL27 0JU.
Phone No. 07919596872