Posted on behalf of Miles Griffin.

The current burial ground at St John’s Church is nearing capacity and may no longer be able to accommodate new burials within the next 3–5 years unless action is taken.

The Parochial Church Council (PCC) has formally requested that a nearby parcel of land, adjoining the current churchyard and long known locally as the “burial ground extension” be brought into use. This land has been associated with future burial use since 1951 but is currently leased to the National Trust as part of their visitor car park. The area in question is marked in green.

Preparing the land for burial use will involve some financial and environmental planning, and the Hewars Charity has offered to contribute towards these costs. The Parish Council (PC) has agreed to form a working group, including representatives from the PCC and Hewars, to assess the feasibility of the project.

If the assessment is favourable and there is clear community support to maintain local burial provision, the working group will explore funding options to support the necessary works, to minimise financial pressure on the Parish Council.

This is not just a church issue – it’s a decision for the whole community.

We must now ask:

> Do you support bringing the designated burial ground extension next to St John’s Church into use for future village burials (subject to funding and permissions)?

Please take a moment to give your view by completing the online poll:  Oxborough Burial Ground Poll

This poll is for residents of Oxborough only. Poll to close on 31 Aug