At a time of loss St Michael's Church is ready to offer you as much support as it can to help you through the days and weeks beyond the funeral.  We have a Bereavement Support Group that can help.  Please do read our leaflet about how St Michael's Church offers support to those who have been bereaved.

Please note that both the Old Churchyard (around the church) and the New Churchyard (across New Lane Hill) are both now full, and are closed to further burials, except for the burial of a second person in an existing double grave.  However, the Old Churchyard is still open for the interment of cremated remains (commonly referred to as 'ashes').

Some useful information

A funeral can be either by burial or by cremation.  You can organise it with or without the help of a funeral director, and you can personalise it as much as you wish.  In some cases the deceased person may have planned their own funeral in advance.  (If you are thinking about your own funeral, the church has produced a leaflet entitled What I Should Like When The Time Comes.)

Remember to check the deceased's will or other written instructions for any special wishes about their funeral or what should happen to their body.  (However, the executor is not obliged to follow instructions about the funeral left in the will.)

If there are no clear wishes expressed by the deceased person, it's generally up to the executor/administrator or nearest relative to decide if the body will be cremated or buried.

The only legal requirements in the UK for funerals are that the death must be certified and registered, and the body must be buried or cremated.

Memorials

Please do read our short leaflet When Someone Dies - about how to commemorate a loved one who has died.

Churchyards have been regarded from their inception as 'God's acre' and there are certain regulations laid down in law as to what can and cannot be placed in a churchyard.  You can download a booklet entitled Churchyard Regulations, or you can obtain a copy from the Parish Office.