Do you need permission to change a headstone on a grave?
Replacing a Headstone Law Only the Registered Grave Owner is legally entitled to replace a headstone. If anyone else erects a memorial without their support, it can be removed in compliance with laws supporting the removal of any unauthorised items from the grave site.
Can a gravestone be altered?
These days, some local authorities will allow a memorial headstone to be placed or replaced without sighting the plot deed – providing that they receive the signature of the plot owner to say that they are happy for you to proceed. This is the only person who can authorise a headstone to be placed or replaced.
Can a headstone be removed?
Families are usually required to show a Deed of Grant to gain permission to bury ashes at an existing grave, this is also required when removing a headstone or altering it. Many families will choose a new headstone as a joint memorial to those they have lost allowing them the choice of wording.
Are burial plots transferable?
In most states, you can transfer ownership of a cemetery plot to a family member in your will. But if you intend to sell the plot, that may be another matter entirely. Only if the cemetery corporation declines to buy the plot can you then transfer ownership to another party.
How do I change ownership of a grave?
If there is no valid will, ownership of the grave can be transferred to a personal representative of the deceased detailed on the letters of administration. The representative of the deceased will need to identify the rightful owner and can then complete a Deed of Assent.
What is the difference between a cemetery and a graveyard?
The word cemetery (from Greek κοιμητήριον, “sleeping place”) implies that the land is specifically designated as a burial ground and originally applied to the Roman catacombs. The term graveyard is often used interchangeably with cemetery, but a graveyard primarily refers to a burial ground within a churchyard.
Why do they bury bodies 6 feet under?
(WYTV) – Why do we bury bodies six feet under? The six feet under rule for burial may have come from a plague in London in 1665. The Lord Mayor of London ordered all the “graves shall be at least six-foot deep.” Gravesites reaching six feet helped prevent farmers from accidentally plowing up bodies.