Reclassification of the Muslim sections from lawn to traditional graves
The London Borough of Hounslow is delighted to announce that from 1 July 2021, sections MA, MB and MC sections in Borough Cemetery will be reclassified as a ‘Traditional’ sections of the cemetery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What a ‘Traditional’ grave?
A traditional grave is one that can have a full memorial placed on it, which can include a kerb set. This is different to a ‘Lawn’ grave where only a headstone is permitted. There are existing regulations relating to the size, structure and installation of all memorials and they can only be installed by a professional NAMM or BRAMM registered stonemason. The mason will submit the completed design in a permit application to the London Borough of Hounslow.
Why is it changing?
There have been many requests from our customers in the Muslim community to be provided with the choice of ‘Traditional’ graves, which allow those who wish to do so to have a full memorial rather than a headstone only. Until now only ‘Lawn’ graves have been available in the Muslim sections. We have listened to our customers and have agreed that this choice can be provided through reclassifying certain areas of Borough Cemetery as ‘Traditional’ sections. We are pleased that we can now offer our customers greater choice in memorialising their loved ones.
I already have a loved one buried in this section, there is currently no memorial on the grave. What does this mean for me?
If you are the registered grave-owner and you purchased the grave as a ‘Lawn’ grave, you do not need to do anything. If you decide that you would like to place a memorial, the procedure is the same - you must approach a NAMM or BRAMM registered stonemason who will submit an application for a memorial permit to the London Borough of Hounslow. You now have the choice of requesting either a ‘Lawn’ or a ‘Traditional’ memorial. The permit fee is the same.
I already have a loved one buried in this section, and there is a headstone on the grave. How can I arrange to change this to a full memorial?
If you wish to change the existing headstone on the grave to a full memorial, you must go through a professional NAMM or BRAMM registered stonemason who will apply for a permit to refurbish the existing memorial. ‘Refurbishing’ a memorial can mean replacing and existing memorial with a new one, or adding a kerb set to an existing concrete surround. The application will be reviewed by the Cemeteries Department to ensure that the designed memorial is constructed within the stated regulations outlined on our website.
What if I do not want a ‘Traditional’ memorial?
Grave owners who prefer a headstone as a memorial, rather than a full memorial have this option.
What about fees and charges?
From 1st July 2021, sections MA, MB and MC (the dedicated Muslim areas) will be reclassified as ‘Traditional’ graves. From this date, anyone wishing to purchase a grave in these sections will be charged the fee for a ‘Traditional’ grave. Our fees are published on our website, and the purchase of a ’Traditional’ grave (for a resident) is currently £1675.50. Members of the community who wish to arrange a burial in a ‘Lawn’ section will continue to have the option of a burial in Hatton Cemetery on Faggs Road, which will remain classified as a ‘Lawn’ cemetery.
The current permit fee for an initial memorial is £258.70p, for both ‘Lawn’ and ’Traditional’ graves.
The current fee for a permit to refurbish an existing approved memorial is £68.30p.
