Caistor Cemetery

10th October 2026 - Caistor Cemetery re-open for resident interments

Earlier this year, Caistor Town Council commissioned a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey at North Kelsey Road Cemetery. The survey identified historic burials within some areas that had previously been believed to be available for future burials or reservations.

As a precaution, the Council temporarily suspended new burial and grave reservation applications while further investigations were carried out.

The investigation has now been completed, providing the Council with a much clearer understanding of the cemetery and its remaining capacity.

Following consideration of the findings, the Council has agreed that:

- The cemetery will reopen for new burials for Caistor residents.

- Non-Caistor residents may continue to be interred in existing graves or graves that have already been purchased.

- Existing grave reservations and Exclusive Rights of Burial will continue to be honoured.

- No new grave reservations or advance purchases of Exclusive Rights of Burial will be accepted.

- Double-depth burials will be encouraged where appropriate to help make the best use of the remaining cemetery space.

The investigation completed will also help the Council with the future management and planning of the cemetery.

We would like to thank residents, plot holders and families for their patience and understanding while this work has been undertaken.

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Caistor Town Council has temporarily paused all new burials at North Kelsey Road Cemetery while reviewing historic graves and seeking legal advice to ensure lawful, respectful interments.

Update 18th June 2026

We would like to provide a further update on ongoing work at North Kelsey Road Cemetery.

Following detailed survey work, including ground-penetrating radar, targeted ground trenching and mapping of the cemetery, it is now clear that historic burials are present across parts of the site. This reflects both the age of the cemetery and the fact that earlier burial records are not always complete or entirely accurate.

This type of finding is not unusual in older cemeteries. The work carried out to date indicates that a relatively small number of reserved plots are affected and require further review before future burial use can be confirmed.

As a precaution, and to ensure all burials continue to be managed lawfully and with appropriate respect:

• The sale and reservation of new burial plots remains paused
• Requests for interments relating to reserved plots are being considered on an individual basis
• The Council will continue to work closely with funeral directors to accommodate new interments wherever possible

The Council is continuing to seek specialist advice to confirm the most appropriate way forward and to develop clear procedures for future management.

We are currently in the process of contacting those plot holders whose reserved graves have been identified as affected so that individual circumstances can be discussed directly and people can be kept informed as this work progresses.

We would also like to reassure residents that, based on the experience of those who have carried out burials at the cemetery over many years, there have been no known instances of graves being knowingly disturbed during previous interments.

We understand this situation may be concerning for residents and families. Please be assured that the Council is handling this matter carefully, sensitively and respectfully, and will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.

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Caistor Cemetery is located on North Kelsey Rd and opened for burials in 1914 following the closure of the Church graveyard.

The cemetery is owned and managed by Caistor Town Council in accordance with the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977 and the amendment in 1986.

Those making arrangements for the burial of a loved one in the cemetery will usually do so using the services of a professional Funeral Director.  

Ground penetrating radar surveys of the cemetery were conducted in 2025 and 2026 and a significant number of historic burials were discovered in unmarked graves, Following this discovery, the council have restricted the sale of new burial and ashes plots to Caistor resident only.

It is also no longer possible to pre-purchase burial plots at the cemetery.  Please contact the Town Council if you would like further information.

If you would like to search for a loved one buried in the cemetery, you can now do this by clicking on the  Search for a grave  link below.

This will open a map of the cemetery and you can either search using the map, or the search function.

Cemetery forms and fees can be found by clicking the link to forms and fees at the botton of the page.