Churchyard
We aim to keep St Michael's churchyard as a place of peace and dignity. The churchyard is maintained by a team of volunteers and the costs of maintenance are met through fees for burials and memorials, and through a grant from Sandhurst Town Council.
Burials
Anyone who was living in the Parishes of St Michael's, Sandhurst, or St George's, Owlsmoor, at the time of their death is eligible to be buried in the churchyard or have their cremated remains interred there. It may also be possible for someone who was not living in the parish at the time of death to be buried in the existing grave of a close relative. Please be advised, however, that the churchyard has no more spaces for full burials, although we can still inter cremated remains (ashes). It may still be possible for a full burial to take place in the existing grave of a family member, subject to the agreement of all family members concerned. For enquiries, please contact the Parish Office.
If you have recently been bereaved and are thinking of a full burial in the churchyard, or the burial of cremated remains, you will find it helpful to read this leaflet published by the Diocese of Oxford, which gives key information and advice. Please be aware that there are restrictions on the kind of memorial that is allowed, and on introducing other materials onto graves. More information can be found in the Churchyard Regulations (see below). An application form for burial in the churchyard, together with details of fees for burial and for memorials, can be found at the bottom of this page.
Churchyard Regulations
In order to maintain the dignity of a traditional churchyard, and to keep it safe for the public and the maintenance team, we ask that relatives respect the Churchyard regulations of the Diocese of Oxford, which can be read by clicking below. Please also read the document "Sandhurst Regulations", which allows gold, silver and white lettering on memorials in our churchyard, as an exception to regulation 41 of the general Churchyard Regulations.
Please note that nothing should be introduced into the churchyard without permission from the Rector or the Chancellor of the Diocese. This includes lights/lanterns, edging, chippings, shrubs and conifers, and artificial grass. An application form for the introduction of a memorial (e.g. headstone or ledger/tablet) can be found by clicking below.
Burials
Anyone who was living in the Parishes of St Michael's, Sandhurst, or St George's, Owlsmoor, at the time of their death is eligible to be buried in the churchyard or have their cremated remains interred there. It may also be possible for someone who was not living in the parish at the time of death to be buried in the existing grave of a close relative. Please be advised, however, that the churchyard has no more spaces for full burials, although we can still inter cremated remains (ashes). It may still be possible for a full burial to take place in the existing grave of a family member, subject to the agreement of all family members concerned. For enquiries, please contact the Parish Office.
If you have recently been bereaved and are thinking of a full burial in the churchyard, or the burial of cremated remains, you will find it helpful to read this leaflet published by the Diocese of Oxford, which gives key information and advice. Please be aware that there are restrictions on the kind of memorial that is allowed, and on introducing other materials onto graves. More information can be found in the Churchyard Regulations (see below). An application form for burial in the churchyard, together with details of fees for burial and for memorials, can be found at the bottom of this page.
Churchyard Regulations
In order to maintain the dignity of a traditional churchyard, and to keep it safe for the public and the maintenance team, we ask that relatives respect the Churchyard regulations of the Diocese of Oxford, which can be read by clicking below. Please also read the document "Sandhurst Regulations", which allows gold, silver and white lettering on memorials in our churchyard, as an exception to regulation 41 of the general Churchyard Regulations.
Please note that nothing should be introduced into the churchyard without permission from the Rector or the Chancellor of the Diocese. This includes lights/lanterns, edging, chippings, shrubs and conifers, and artificial grass. An application form for the introduction of a memorial (e.g. headstone or ledger/tablet) can be found by clicking below.
| churchyard_regulations_2016.pdf |
| sandhurst_regulations.pdf |
| burial_application_form_-_st_michaels_sandhurst.pdf |
| memorial_app_form_-_sandhurst_2020.pdf |
| fees_for_funerals_burials_and_monuments_2023.pdf |
Churchyard History
See the article in the church history pages
See the article in the church history pages
Finding old graves
The part-time staff in the church office will do their best to help people researching family history or trying to find the grave of a particular relative, but we do ask you to understand that this is often a time-consuming piece of work, using old records that were not kept according to modern standards. There is a statutory fee of £30 for up to an hour's work, and thereafter for every hour or part thereof, and it will have to be fitted in as time permits.
You are welcome to search the churchyard yourself, and we may be able to quickly give you a reference to help you. The document below is a plan showing the different areas of the churchyard.
The part-time staff in the church office will do their best to help people researching family history or trying to find the grave of a particular relative, but we do ask you to understand that this is often a time-consuming piece of work, using old records that were not kept according to modern standards. There is a statutory fee of £30 for up to an hour's work, and thereafter for every hour or part thereof, and it will have to be fitted in as time permits.
You are welcome to search the churchyard yourself, and we may be able to quickly give you a reference to help you. The document below is a plan showing the different areas of the churchyard.
| st_michaels_churchyard_-_areas.pdf |