Churchyards

We are blessed with two very special churchyards in our parishes. Little Tey feels very rural, being managed for its wildlife under the guidance of the Essex Churchyard Conservation Group. It is a peaceful place for walking, rest and contemplation. Great Tey churchyard is very much the centre of the village and a wonderful setting for our magnificent church. They are both open to all, and we sincerely hope that you enjoy visiting them.

These churchyards are looked after by small groups of volunteers, with some professional help. At times some areas may seem overgrown or in need of tidying, especially at the main growing times of the year. We do ask you to remember that Little Tey churchyard is intentionally left until June for a first cut. Sometimes Great Tey churchyard may need tidying, but never fear... it will be done eventually!

The churchyards are, of course, also very important as they are the burial places for many local people. We know how much they mean as the resting-places of relatives and loved ones. It’s very clear that many families, relatives and friends visit graves very regularly.

Rules governing churchyards, including our own.

We must stress that these are the rules and regulations of the whole Diocese of Chelmsford – in other words, they are general to all Church of England churchyards and cemeteries, and not just specific to Great and Little Tey.

Essentially the rules state that graves should be laid to grass. There should be no shrubs or large plants or pot plants, no kerbs or hard borders of any kind, no gravel, chippings or artificial grass; no artificial flowers (except poppies at Remembrance and wreaths at Christmas); and no ornaments, which includes animal statues and figurines (e.g. angels), toys, photographs and pictures, windmills, chimes, and the like. Fresh flowers may be placed in the holder on the gravestone and nowhere else.

In Great Tey Churchyard there are certain types of stone to be used for Gravestones. This is because our churchyard is the setting for a very important 11th century church. It is important that the churchyard compliments and enhances that setting.

In previous years many graves were allowed that don’t meet the rules; this makes enforcing them more difficult. These rules may look quite restrictive, but they seek to safeguard two key things: one, that both burial areas retain the look of historic churchyards; and two, the practical need for easy maintenance.

We do realise that this is a very sensitive subject. But we want to ensure that both the churchyard and The Garden of Remembrance are well kept and regain their true character as country churchyards.

There is a general leaflet for everyone, setting out, in general terms, how our churchyard is looked after and what the regulations say. There are copies in the church and you can download it here: Caring-for-Churchyard-leaflet-2023.pdf

We strongly recommend that families seeking to bury their loved ones in our churchyard, look at the Diocese of Chelmsford Churchyard Handbook (Revised February 2022) (PDF format) and our leaflet. Please talk to the churchwardens and the Rector as soon as possible about your expectations and the regulations, so that any distress can be avoided.

Update, July 2023: We now have a more detailed leaflet, specifically for those who wish to have a relative or friend buried in the Churchyard or the Garden of Remembrance. Please read this leaflet “Advice for those seeking burial in St Barnabas Churchyard, Great Tey”.

For those seeking burial in St James The Less Churchyard, Little Tey, please contact the church wardens.