When someone you know dies:

Coping with bereavement is a difficult time for relatives, and we always seek to do all that we can to support you as you arrange a funeral, whether in Church or at a local crematorium.

As well as assisting in planning the funeral service, we also invite relatives to a memorial service within six months of the funeral. Where relatives live locally, a visit from a member of our visiting group is also offered.

You will find some prayers which may help you on our prayers for special occasions page.

Please do not hesitate to contact the clergy or the parish office with any queries relating to funerals.

All Saints' Churchyard

Burials in All Saints' Churchyard

The Churchyard at All Saints’ is now closed for new burials.  It is still possible for a burial or the interment of ashes to take place in an existing grave where there is sufficient space.

The Gardens of Remembrance and Interment of Cremated Remains

These notes are intended as guidance for relatives who wish to arrange the interment of cremated remains in the Garden of Remembrance at All Saints' Church.  They apply both to the original Garden to the west of the church, and to the new area in the north-east corner.

Although we appreciate your distress at this difficult time, it is important that you clearly understand the regulations that relate to the Garden of Remembrance before requesting an interment there.

The Gardens of Remembrance are maintained as a lawn area, the original garden being underplanted with spring bulbs. Diocesan regulations which have been in force since 1990 do not allow individual marking of any plot where cremated remains are interred in the churchyard. This means that nothing must be placed there, either temporary or permanent. This restriction applies to vases, flowers or plants as well as stones or plaques. Relatives must be clearly aware that any such items placed on or planted in the Garden will be removed by church officials. A copy of the full regulations is available in Parish Office for your examination if you wish.

If you wish cremated remains to be interred in a place where the plot may be marked by a permanent memorial, you should contact Brentwood Borough Council about a plot in a Council cemetery.

However, the clergy and churchwardens are sensitive to the desire of families for a permanent memorial to those who have died and whose remains are interred in the Garden of Remembrance. The parish has therefore provided a number of ways in which such a memorial may be made.

The Memorial Walls

The Memorial Wall adjacent to each Garden of Remembrance provides a place where a bronze plaque may be fixed with the name and dates of persons interred in the adjacent area.

To request a plaque, please obtain an order form from the Parish Office at St. Peter's Church. Please note that there may be a delay of up to 6 months for the plaque to be made and fixed. We will contact you when the plaque has been fixed.

Flowers at the Memorial Wall

Cut flowers may be placed only in the vases provided by the Church on the paved area around the original memorial wall and the gravelled area in front of the new wall. Artificial flowers, pot plants, planted baskets, greetings cards or any other containers or memorials may not be placed either at the wall or elsewhere in the Garden and will be removed. Flowers will also be removed when they have died. Please do not place flowers in the open spaces on the wall.

Families may also donate money for flowers to be placed in Church for a special occasion or anniversary. Please contact Mrs. Dawn White via the Parish Office if you wish to arrange this.

Portable Memorial Stands

Two wrought iron memorial stands have been provided by the Church for memorials for anniversaries. Please send the application form to the parish office at least two weeks before the date you request. A special memorial card on which you can write your message is available from the office. This can be inserted into the stand and placed on the plot on the date you request. The message will remain in place for at least the date requested, and possibly for a few days longer if the stand is not required by others. There is no charge for this. Please re-apply each year for the memorial stand.

Churchyard Regulations & Maintenance

We are trying to maintain All Saints' Churchyard as a place of peace, quiet and tidiness, fitting for the remembrance of those who have died.

Since the closure of the Churchyard in 2008, Brentwood Borough Council is responsible for maintenance.  Some additional grasscutting and tidying is still carried out by volunteers and at twice-yearly working parties.  Please refer any comments or queries regarding the maintenance of the Churchyard to the Brentwood Council Offices.

There are strict regulations drawn up by the Diocese which the Church is required to administer.  These apply to designs for new headstones and memorials in the churchyard, to items which may be placed on graves, and other items in the Churchyard.  Please help to keep the churchyard in an appropriate style by observing these regulations,

Dogs must be kept on a lead and under control at all times.

You are particularly reminded that lighted candles are a danger to churchyard visitors, wildlife and the church building and are not allowed in the churchyard under any circumstances.  Glass vases are also dangerous and will be removed. 

Among the regulations are the following which might help you: 

There are regulations about the size, shape and fixing of all headstones.

Inscriptions: The full names of any person commemorated are to be used. Any name by which the person was usually known can be added in brackets after the Christian name, with permission of the Incumbent.

There are also regulations regarding the type of lettering and decoration.

You are respectfully reminded that no kerb, railings or fencing is allowed around a grave, and no chippings within the grave.  Any such unauthorised edging will be removed.

No statues or other memorials, except for a properly authorised headstone, are allowed on graves, and may be removed.

No plastic or artificial flowers of any kind are allowed, except –
Poppies at the time of Remembrance Sunday, which must be removed by the end of November .
Christmas wreaths, which must be removed by the end of January .

Other artificial flowers will be removed.

In the interests of safety, the burning of candles or any other naked flame is not permitted in this Churchyard, and any found will be removed.

Glass is potentially dangerous, and jars and other glassware will be removed from the Churchyard.

The Memorial Wall is for recording those who are interred in the Memorial Garden only.

The Book of Remembrance

This book is kept in All Saints' Church. If you would like an entry, please complete a form and return it to the Parish Office. A small fee is payable. The Memorial Book can be viewed when the Church is open or by arrangement.

We hope that the Diocesan regulations which apply to the Garden of Remembrance are clear and that families will take advantage of the various ways in which their departed relatives can be remembered at All Saints'.

For an application pack, or if you have any queries about the Garden of Remembrance and the regulations which apply, please contact the Parish Office. Where necessary, queries will be referred to the Clergy.