Burials in our cemeteries
Arranging a burial
The Funeral Director of your choice can make all the necessary funeral arrangements on your behalf, whether you wish to arrange a burial or a cremation.
They will tailor the funeral service to your needs, suggest venues and religious and non-religious celebrants who officiate at funerals, depending on your faith and your preference.
A Funeral Director must be appointed to make the necessary burial arrangements. It is their role to contact the Council to make bookings, pay the fees on your behalf, submit a copy of the Burial Order and the notice of interment, duly signed by one of the following persons:
- The applicant for Exclusive Right of Burial
- The owner of Exclusive Right of Burial or the person authorising the opening of the grave for his interment
- A person instructing an interment in an unpurchased grave.
Funeral directors must ensure one of the following certificates or Burial Order has been issued, as we require it on burial day before the burial takes place:
- A Coroner's Oder for Burial issued by the Coroner or a Certificate for Burial issued by the Registration Office when death is registered.
- In the case of a stillborn child, the appropriate certificate under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953.
- In the case of a non-viable foetus the Medical Practitioner's or Midwifes certificate of delivery.
We understand that organising a funeral is difficult while you are coming to terms with a loved one's death. If we can assist you in any way, you are welcome to contact us on Tel:01329 236100 or e-mail cemeteries@fareham.gov.uk.
Availability of graves for burials
At Fareham Borough Council we pride ourselves on managing our local cemeteries in a caring manner and giving you a sympathetic service.
The availability of graves is specified in each cemetery (link here to cemetery locations) under the control of Fareham Borough Council.
New grave spaces are allocated at the discretion of the Council. Whenever we can, we endeavour to accommodate families wishes and take personal requirements into account.
Grave positions can also be selected by purchasers, where this is possible.
You are most welcome to contact us, should you require any assistance.
Graves for burials
Burials take place in the "Lawn graves" area of the cemetery.
As the cemeteries are laid to lawn, memorials and floral tributes can only be placed in the memorial border or at the head of the grave in alignment with other memorials and must not encroach on grass area.
As it is the council's policy to safeguard burial space, the first interment in a lawn grave must be a burial.
With the exemption of children graves, new graves are excavated at double depth to accommodate two burials. Graves can therefore be re-opened for a second burial or cremated remains interments.
After one burial, a grave can be re-opened for an interment of cremated remains, on the understanding that there will be no further burial space in the grave unless they are exhumed. To prevent the loss of the burial space, cremated remains can be scattered over a grave.
Up to four cremated remains can be interred after two burials.
Exhumation or disturbance of graves
Exhumation "disturbance" of buried human remains is not common. When exhumation is required, it must be done with dignity, respect and with all of the necessary legal licences and documentation as it is unlawful to disturb any human remains (including cremated remains) without permission. There are two types of licences for exhumation:
- A Home Office Licence or
- A Bishops Faculty
Which licence is required is dependent on where the remains are at present and where they are going to be reburied.
| Moving Remains From | Moving Remains To | Authority Required |
|---|---|---|
| Consecrated ground | A different grave plot that is also consecrated | Bishops Faculty |
| Consecrated ground | Re-interring in exactly the same grave | Bishops Faculty |
| Consecrated ground | Unconsecrated ground | Bishops Faculty |
| Unconsecrated ground | Consecrated or unconsecrated ground, or re-interment in the same grave | MOJ Licence |
Cemetery regulations
As a Burial Authority, we have a duty of care to ensure they are properly managed in accordance with the with the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 (LACO)
Cemetery regulations are in place to ensure the proper control and management of our cemeteries. They are designed to provide a safe and pleasant environment for all visitors and should be always observed.
They also provide information on tributes permitted in Lawn Burial areas and in the Garden of Remembrance and where they can be placed. Please ensure that they comply with the cemetery regulations which must be applied to all.
You can view our Cemetery regulations here 
(896 KB), for the Holly Hill Cemetery Extension you can view the regulations here (323 KB).
We thank you for observing the regulations and your co-operation.
Fees and charges
Fees for cemetery services are determined by the Council annually and take effect from 1 April each year.
Current fees and charges are published under Bereavement Services.