Cemeteries, Burials and Cremations

Cemetery Regulations

The civil cemeteries

The churchyards at St Mary's Church, Congerstone and St Peter's Church, Shackerstone were closed by Orders in Council in 1987 because (despite appearances) both were full. No new burials may take place in either churchyard, except where a previous arrangement for joint interment exists.

To enable local people to continue to be buried locally, the Parish Council acquired land adjacent to both churchyards to be laid out as civil cemeteries. These opened in 1993. The Parish Council acquired further land next to the two cemeteries in 2020, to ensure that there is space for burials for many years to come. The cemeteries are provided for the whole Parish, covering the villages of Barton in the Beans, Bilstone, Congerstone, Odstone and Shackerstone.

The cemeteries are not consecrated land, though there was a service of dedication led by the Assistant Bishop at each in 1993.

The cemeteries are administered by the Shackerstone Parish Council, which is an elected civil authority, not to be confused with the Diocesan Church Council or Parochial Church Council.

These regulations apply to both cemeteries, please see document.