Memorial Inspections

We are in the process of inspecting the stability of thousands of gravestones across Oxford as part of a five year rolling programme. The programme began in 2007.

We carry out the checks as part of a legal requirement under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Specialist contractors Peter Mitchell Associates are carrying out the work.

Memorial Inspections 2011

Rose Hill cemetery was inspected in 2011. Download the document below for full result details:

Rose Hill Cemetery Memorial Inspection Results - September 2011 (23kB PDF)

Inspection Process

This begins with a visual inspection of all gravestones, followed by a test to check stability and then making the appropriate headstones safe.

Any memorial found to be unstable would be made safe, where possible, with a wooden stake. Larger memorials may need to be carefully laid down within the grave space as a last resort.

Notices are placed in inspection areas to warn members of the public of the work.

The memorials remain the responsibility of the family that erected them and following the inspection a notice will be placed on each unstable memorial. It will request that anyone with an interest in the grave to contact the Cemeteries Office.

Records of the work are kept at the Cemeteries Office, Wolvercote.

Expected Results

We anticipate that very few memorials, around one per cent, will be found to be unstable during the assessments.

New memorials erected since September 2005 should all meet the new standards introduced to ensure that memorials remain secure and stable for decades.

Summary of Past Inspections

Results of previous inspections can be found below:

Wolvercote Cemetery (175kB PDF)
St Sepulchre's Cemetery (63kB PDF)
Botley Cemetery (40kB PDF)
SS Mary and Nicholas Cemetery (Littlemore) (37kB PDF)
Headington Cemetery (28kB PDF)
St James' Churchyard, Cowley (no high risk memorials)

Memorial Inspections 2010

Memorial inspections took place during the end of August and beginning of September 2010 at the following sites:

• St Giles and St Philip and St James with St Margaret, Oxford
• St Mary the Virgin with St Cross with St Peter in the East, Oxford
• St Mary Magdalen, Oxford
• St Mary the Virgin, Iffley
• St Andrew's, Headington
• Osney Cemetery

2010 Inspection Results

St Mary the Virgin, Iffley Churchyard was the only site where action had to be taken in 2010. Download the document below for full details:

Iffley Churchyard Memorial Inspection Results - September 2010 (16kB PDF)

Page last reviewed 12 April 2012