Heathlands Cemetery

Heathlands Cemetery is owned and maintained by Yateley Town Council for the residents of Yateley. It was opened in 1957 and can be found in a tranquil setting adjoining Yateley Common. The cemetery is split into religious sections for Roman Catholic, Church of England and Other Denominations. It also has a Garden of Remembrance for the internment of ashes and a Baby Section.

Burial records dating back to the first burial in 1957 are kept at the Council Offices. If you require details of a relative's grave, please feel free to contact us in order that a search can be carried out.

To get to Heathlands Cemetery from the centre of Yateley on the Main B3272 Reading Road turn right at the roundabout onto Cricket Hill Road, take the third turning on your left onto Stevens Hill, then the first right onto a track which leads to the Cemetery.
 
Rules and Regulations
   
1. Heathlands Cemetery is provided for the interment of residents of the Civil Parish of Yateley only. Ex-parishioners with a strong connection to Yateley may be permitted with the express consent of the Town Clerk. In such cases the fees are trebled.
2. At the discretion of the Town Clerk the ashes of non parishioners may be interred in the Garden of Remembrance if it is intended that the plot will, in due course, be used for family members who are Residents of the Civil Parish of Yateley. In such cases the fees are trebled.
3. It is assumed that ashes will be interred into the Garden of Remembrance, where each plot has space for two sets of ashes. Ashes can only be interred into the main section of the cemetery into a re-opened existing grave with an exclusive right.
4. Notice of an intended interment shall be given to the officers of the Town Council; at least two clear days prior to the interment exclusive of weekends. Notice shall be given on the printed form available from the Town Council Offices.
5. All fees shall be paid at the time of the notice of interment. Fees for the erection of monuments shall be paid for before the work is commenced.
6. All burials shall be in strict rotation and no person shall be allowed to purchase the right of burial in anticipation.
7. A register of all interments in the Cemetery and Garden of Remembrance is kept at the Town Council Offices, where at reasonable times a search may be made.
8. For all new graves (excluding Garden of Remembrance) there is the option to purchase an Exclusive Right of burial for 100 years. This must be purchased if a headstone is to be erected. This also gives the right for the exclusive right holder to be buried in the plot in due course. During the named person's lifetime they may transfer their right to an heir, successor or other identified person. This must be done in writing.
9. Graves without an Exclusive Right are by default public graves.
10. A normal grave space can accommodate two full burials or the initial burial plus up to three sets of ashes. The holder of the Exclusive Right must put in writing who they wish to assign this right of burial to.
 
The Graves
11. The necessary arrangements for the conduct of the burial service and the digging of graves (if any) shall be made by a representative of the deceased. Undertakers are responsible for ensuring that gravediggers work in a responsible and safe manner and observe all Health and Safety legislation in force at the time of the excavation.
12. The first interment in any grave space shall be at a minimum depth of 2.1m (7'), except by special arrangement.
13. The Town Council's Policy is to maintain a lawn type cemetery, except in the Garden of Remembrance. A lawn-type cemetery means that ONLY a headstone or other memorial at the head of a grave is permitted.
a. No edging, fencing or chippings are permitted
b. No footstone is permitted
c. No planting on the grave is permitted
d. Once the initial funeral flowers have been removed, any new flowers and plants or other paraphernalia shall not extend more than 1’ from the headstone
e. The planting of bulbs is not permitted
f. No wind chimes or lights (solar or otherwise) or any other item which may disturb the peaceful nature of the cemetery is permitted
The Town Council reserves the right to remove any item which has not gained the necessary permission and/or does not comply with the rules and regulations set out.
 
14. For the first year after burial personalised items will be permitted along the whole length of the grave after which the grave will revert to just grass.
15. Council Grounds men will as part of their duties remove dead flowers from the graves.
 
Monuments in the Garden of Remembrance
16. In the Garden of Remembrance only slab type memorials are permitted, subject to approval. They should be no longer or wider than 56cm (22”) and no higher than 10cm (4”).
17. No edging, chippings or other items may be placed on or around the grave.
 
Monuments in the Main Cemetery
18. All gravestones, tablets, monuments, wall plaques, memorials and inscriptions are to be subject to the approval of the Town Council and a copy of the inscription and drawing showing the form and dimensions of the proposed memorial to be erected shall be sent to the Town Council for this purpose. Nothing of the nature referred to shall be placed within the cemetery without the permission of the Town Council, nor shall any erection be removed, or replaced without consent. The Town Council reserves the right to remove any item which has not gained the necessary permission and/or does not comply with the rules and regulations set out.
19. Bath, Caen or other soft stones will not be sanctioned for headstones or other memorials.
20. The grave section and number must be lettered on the headstone before or during erection.
21. Headstones shall be set on a plinth of concrete, the surface of which must be at least 2.5cm (1") below turf and to be 15cm (6") clear all round for grass cutting purposes. If the concrete plinth is wider that the base of the memorial it should be sunk slightly deeper to allow the concrete to be covered with topsoil and grass seed.
22. The visible, above ground base of the headstone shall not exceed 76cm (30") in width and 61cm (24") in depth.
23. The height of the headstone shall not exceed 1m 22 cm (4').
24. The rear of the headstones must be 2.75m (9') from path or carriageway.
25. Any damage caused by the bringing in of materials, gravestones or monuments shall be made good by, or at the expense of person or persons in whose order the said materials were supplied. All turf must be replaced immediately after interment and excess earth removed. Protective sheeting must be used to protect turf in proximity to an excavated grave.
26. The surface of newly filled in graves shall be raised to a height not exceeding 23cm (9").
 
General
27. Any person who wilfully destroys or injures any building, wall, fence or footpath in or belonging to the Cemetery, or damages any tree or shrub, or puts up any bill therein, or defaces any tree or shrub, or who commits any nuisance whatsoever within the grounds of the cemetery shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding £250.
28. Due to occurrences of nuisance and vandalism the main cemetery gates will remain locked and access only permitted for funeral cars and council vehicles. The cemetery will remain open for pedestrians at all times via two kissing gates, one of which is suitable for wheelchairs.
 
 
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