Questions about burials
I am told the grave is for two people - there is only one person in the grave and I now want two more burials to take place in the grave. Can I do this?
When a grave is purchased to take two full body burials, the depth to which the grave is excavated for the first burial must take into account the need for the second burial.
There are legal requirements as to how much earth must be left on top of the last coffin, and it is therefore not physically possible to put an extra coffin into the grave without breaking the law.
Lawful authority could be obtained to:
- exhume those already buried in the grave
- excavate the grave deeper
- rebury those deceased that were exhumed and subsequently carry out the third burial
This action would require careful consideration by the grave owner. After the grave is full for coffined burial, ashes, caskets or urns may still be buried within the grave.