Cemetery Update 19 December 2025
Greater access opened to Martin Churchyard
Martin Churchyard is now open for greater access to most of the graves, after changes were made to the safety fencing on site.
Restrictions were put in place in the interests of public safety after 53 memorials were found to be unstable when tested.
While all the engaged parties are still working to achieve a more permanent solution, the new arrangement of cordons around specific memorials allows access to the majority of graves, which are not themselves considered hazardous.
This is felt preferable to full site closure, and it was important for all parties that this was made possible before Christmas.
To achieve this, the Parochial Church Council of Holy Trinity Martin endorsed an approach by North Kesteven District Council to the Diocese of Lincoln for a Faculty that would permit aspects of work in the interim.
This includes:
- NKDC progressing with a scheme of specific fencing around those memorials that are still standing, but which have been identified as dangerous.
- Notices advising of dangers that remain in respect of 36 memorial stones that have already been laid down and may present a trip or fall hazard, and the need to take care when moving around these memorials which are sited across the churchyard.
By doing this, careful access is now possible to different parts of the site.
The path through is not yet fully traversable and pedestrian access is only available via the gate on Linwood Road. If you are accessing the site, please ensure you have read and understood the warning signage at the entry point.
Further remedial action will not be possible until into 2026. This will require further partnership approaches between the agencies which each have a representative interest in the situation – the parochial church council, parish council, district council and Diocese of Lincoln – all of which are focused on exploring opportunities for the safe memorialisation of the deceased.
