Our Garden was consecrated by the Bishop of Bedford, it is hallowed ground, a special holy place where the memory of your loved ones will be treated with respect. Plots are not purchased only for a period of time and then reused, as in cemeteries, once laid to rest the plots will be undisturbed for all time. No activity can take place within the Garden without strict controls and everything is monitored closely by the Diocese of St. Albans. This is the only consecrated place of interment available to the public in Bedford. Working closely with our Diocesan Advisory Committee, we have managed to achieve what the Chancellor of our Diocese declared to be an exemplary scheme. We hope that you will agree. 

We believe that St Mark’s offers a model way forward for churches to meet the mixed needs of their communities. Thank you to everybody who gives of their time so generously to make our Churchyard such a beautiful place, especially our volunteer gardeners. They have made this a special place which is loved and appreciated by so many people. 

The large grounds surrounding St Mark’s Church have offered the opportunity for landscaping and the Garden has been continually extended to accommodate the increasing number of people who have appreciated this peaceful place for the burial of ashes. The grounds continually benefit by the addition of new plants, trees and shrubs, often donated in memory of a loved one. The chapel at St Mark’s Church contains a Book of Remembrance and is a place of prayer where candles can be lit in memory of those who have died. The chapel is open every day during daylight hours and visitors especially enjoy the outstanding stained glass window. 

The Garden at St Mark’s Church provides the opportunity for interment in marked plots with granite stones, we are also pleased to have been able to construct a memorial wall upon which engraved granite plaques can be placed in memory of those who have died, irrespective of where they may be buried. The Garden is always open and we welcome visitors. The location of the church in Brickhill offers many advantages, on major bus routes and has excellent parking, including full provision for those with disabilities. 

Please do contact us for further information if there are any questions not answered in this booklet. We are also pleased to speak with you to discuss your requirements or to make reservations. Contact details are shown on the back of this booklet.

St Mark’s Chapel is usually also open during daylight hours and a Book of Remembrance is available for inscription in memory of those who have died. The chapel also has facilities for the lighting of prayer candles for those who visit.

Scattering of ashes

If you would like ashes scattered without any separate plot or gravestone, this can be provided at St Mark’s. A small hole is dug in the Garden and the ashes are poured loosely into the ground. The ashes are delivered to us by the funeral director or crematorium in a poly container. 

When ashes are scattered, you may make use of the memorial wall to place a marked plaque in memory of the person who has died.

We ensure that interment at St. Mark’s is as inexpensive as possible. Our costs should not exceed charges made elsewhere and are usually about half the cost of local cemeteries. It is our desire to make only those charges necessary to cover the cost of memorial stones and to ensure that the garden is properly kept, and developed. All fees are paid into a separate bank account used solely for the costs associated with the maintenance and management of the Garden.

 

Columbaria vault (for 2 lots of Ashes) £1,000.00 

Gold Lettering on Columbaria (per letter) £4.00

   

Granite Kerbs (for 2 lots of Ashes) £1,500.00

Gravel plot with granite stone 16” x 12” £950.00

 Interment of ashes (Burial Fee) £182.00

 Re-Blacking can be done at (per Letter) £1.50

 Inscription of letters on stone per letter £3.50

 Cost of inscription in Book of Remembrance Free

Re-blacking of lettering £1.50 per letter

You may use the plaque in memory of either one or two people. Please use the special form for entering your inscription. Please note that the Church Council may refuse an inscription

Cost for a memorial wall plaque £175

A Book of Remembrance is kept on view at the church in memory of those whose names are recorded on the date on which they died. If you would like an entry recorded following an interment, then please contact Mrs Marion Prior 303254, she will be able to give advice over a suitable inscription and arrange an entry to be made. 

Understandably relatives often wish to leave flowers in the Garden near to the place where a person has been buried. Please feel able to do this. Small plants or arrangements can be placed on the plaque. Please ensure that they are small enough that the view of other plaques is not obscured, and that the arrangement will not easily blow over. We have a tap fitted in the garden for your use and rubbish bins are also provided. 

Flowers left outside very quickly begin to look untidy especially in adverse weather conditions, when they can be blown around the Garden and onto other stones. Floral tributes left in the Garden are collected up once a week and placed in vases in the special memorial feature near to the entrance by the Lych Gate. If you would like them to stay longer then please inform the Church Office and they will make sure that they are not removed too early. Occasionally these can be incorporated into arrangements for the Sunday service if they are in good condition. These measures ensure that the Garden is always kept tidy, and your flowers are used in a way that is honouring to the one you wish to remember. 

We understand that many people appreciate the opportunity to visit the Garden of Remembrance and leave flowers at these holiday periods. Over Christmas and Easter, the Garden will be carefully looked after each day, and suitable floral arrangements will be allowed to remain at or near the place where they were left.

At Christmas all tributes will be removed on the morning of 6 January. Containers will be placed in the large container at the rear entrance by the spiral staircase. 

At Easter all tributes will be left for one week after the Easter Weekend We do have to be particularly careful with some wreaths which due to the presence of metal wire can cause rust staining to enter the granite. 

We recommend that you place some plastic under the arrangement if steel wire is used. 

Please note that artificial flowers are not permitted 

Many people like to provide flowers in the church on a Sunday and this is a fitting way to remember somebody who has died. Arrangements exist for you to contribute to the provision of flowers on a particular Sunday at St Mark’s. Please contact Miss Marion Prior 360503