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Re St Wilfrid, Grappenhall

Chester Consistory Court: Turner Ch, 18 February 2015 Reservation of grave space – PCC policy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2015

Ruth Arlow*
Affiliation:
Chancellor of the Diocese of Norwich
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Abstract

Type
Case Notes
Copyright
Copyright © Ecclesiastical Law Society 2015 

Two parishioners with strong local links sought the reservation of a grave space for 30 years in a churchyard which was likely to be full within somewhere between 10 and 25 years. Their petition caused the Parochial Church Council (PCC) to review its position on the reservation of grave spaces within the churchyard, in light of which the PCC adopted a policy of non-reservation. The chancellor considered that exceptional circumstances must exist before a departure from the PCC policy could be granted. This was the case even where, as here, no issue of fairness arose from the consideration of others who might have acted in accordance with the policy. The adoption of the non-reservation policy by the PCC was reasonable and no question of personal hostility arose. The faculty was refused. [RA]