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Whitwell St Lawrence's Church - Memorial Survey

Bolsover District Council have recently carried out a memorial structural survey in St Lawrence's Closed Churchyard, High Street, Whitwell. The survey is required by law to assess and control any risks to visitors and employees posed by ageing memorials within the churchyard. It involves a simple hand push test to identify any failure in the memorial stability and any that have failed have been identified by having a small, discreet, waterproof notice attached with nylon string.

The safety of individual memorials and ultimate liability remains with the family of the deceased who own the memorial and attempts will be made to contact any families of memorials which require further attention. Owners will have the option of arranging for the memorial to be stabilised by an approved memorial mason or allowing Bolsover District Council to discreetly lay the memorial flat, following the seeking of a confirmatory faculty from the Church Authority.

If you or anyone you know have family memorials within the churchyard then the Council would appreciate them being visited to see if they have been identified with a notice and, if so, contact Steve Chapman on 01246 242202 or email steve.chapman@bolsover.gov.uk to discuss your wishes.

Where families cannot be traced then any memorials containing a notice will be discreetly laid flat after November 2024, following the necessary approval from the Church.