Bear Street Cemetery
Barnstaple Town Council is responsible for the management and maintenance of Bear Street Cemetery. The Cemetery is located between Bear Street and Derby Road and can be accessed at either entrance.
Bear Street Cemetery was established in the 1856 and extends over an area of 13.2 acres.
The Town Council delegates the management of Bear Street Cemetery to the Cemetery and Grounds Maintenance Committee which consists of nine Councillors.
The Council is keen to ensure that the needs of mourners and visitors to the cemetery are catered for as sympathetically as possible. It employs two full-time members of staff to maintain the grounds and supervise burials.
The Cemetery and Grounds Maintenance Committee regularly reviews the Regulations that govern burials in Bear Street Cemetery and continuously improves procedures to ensure that the best standard of service is available to the bereaved.
Barnstaple Town Council is a member of the ‘Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management' (ICCM) http://www.iccm-uk.com/.
Opening Hours
Summer (27 March - 30 October)
Pedestrian gates Mon - Fri 8.00 to 21.00
Vehicular gates Mon - Thurs 8.00 to 17.00 and Friday 8.00 to 12.30
Winter (31 October - 26 March)
Pedestrian gates Mon - Fri 8.00 to 17.00
Vehicular gates Mon - Thurs 8.00 to 16.00 and Friday 8.00 to 12.30
The Council reserves the right to exclude the public if it should be necessary on any particular occasion.
Chapel
The Cemetery chapel can be used by any denomination and fully equipped with:
Hymn books
Floral decorations
Heating
Viewing, if required is by appointment as the chapel is locked when not in use.
Memorials
Barnstaple Town Council is registered with the British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM) http://www.bramm-uk.org/. Only BRAMM Accredited Memorial Masons will be permitted to work within Bear Street Cemetery.
All memorials are erected in accordance with the current NAMM Regulations and Bear Street Cemetery Rules and Regulations.
Genealogy (Family History)
Family histories can be traced from our manual or computerised records. If you wish to view the Bear Street Cemetery burial records prior appointments must be made, alternatively a member of staff can research your request but there may be a charge for this service. Tel: 01271 373311
SAFETY TESTING OF MEMORIALS AND HEADSTONES
Following a series of incidents across the country where people have been injured or killed by falling memorials, the Health and Safety Executive requires memorials to be safety tested. Barnstaple Town Council has a statutory duty to ensure that visitors, contractors and staff within Bear Street Cemetery are not at risk and therefore must test all Memorials within the Cemetery.
The specialist testing consists of three stages: -
a. Visual inspection that identifies those memorials that are too dangerous to test manually.
b. Manual test to identify headstones that may not withstand the machine test.
c. Machine test using specialist equipment which allows the inspector to exert force to the top of the headstone.
All staff involved with inspections have received full training from the Institute of Cemeteries and Crematorium Management regarding the correct procedures of the inspection process.
The Town Council intend to test sections H, G, J, K, P, R and S on the Consecrated area within Bear Street Cemetery from the end of February 2010. Signs will be erected in the Cemetery to inform the public and letters will be sent to graves owners notifying them prior to testing.
Memorials that fail testing will be temporarily supported whilst the Council attempts to contact the owner or family. Every effort will be made by the Council to identify and contact the owners of memorials which have failed the test. A spokesperson for the Town Council said “we appreciate that this action may cause concern and apologise for any distress, but the council must comply with current Health and Safety requirements and the Local Authorities’ Cemeteries Order 1977 for everyone’s safety”.
For further information contact Tracey Weaver, Senior Committee Clerk on 01271 373311.
If you would like more information regarding the testing of memorials, or if you have any information concerning the change of ownership of a headstone within Bear Street Cemetery please contact:
Tracey Weaver
Senior Committee Clerk, Barnstaple Town Council,
Barum House, The Square, Barnstaple, North Devon. EX32 8LS
Tel: 01271 373311
Fax: 01271 321987
Email: admin@barnstapletowncouncil.co.uk
Downloads Available
Please click HERE to view the Bear Street Cemetery Rules and Regulations
Please click HERE to view the Application for the Exclusive Rights of Burial
Please Click HERE to view the Bear Street Cemetery Regulations for the Erection and Removal of Memorials.
Please Click HERE to view the Bear Street Cemetery Charges 2008/09
Please Click HERE to view the Bear Street Cemetery Map
Please Click HERE to view the Funeral Directors Contact Details
Please click HERE to view the Memorial Masons Contact Details
Working for the Community
