Grieving family accuses church of ‘desecrating’ South Downs grave

Michael Fitzgerald was buried at St Mary’s Church in West Chiltington after he died in March and his wife Judith arranged for a stone edging to be placed around the grave with slate chippings on top.

But, under church rules, officials removed the stones this week, leaving the family ‘upset and disgusted.’

Son Alistair Fitzgerald said that there were similar stones on other graves in the graveyard. He said he felt the church had ‘singled out’ his mother.

“My mother wanted my father to be buried here as it has many significant memories for her. Not only were they married here, but it was also where their children were christened and got married, as well as where many of their grandchildren were christened.

“Since then, they have been what can only be described as very unchristian in their treatment to someone who is elderly, isolated from her family and friends whilst shielding from Covid 19 and mourning the loss of her husband.”

He said no guidance on graveside rules had been given by the church to the family before the burial.

But in an ecclesiastical law report the Chancellor of the Diocese of Chichester Mark Hill said that the family were advised by a funeral director that they were ‘not allowed under the rules and regulations of the diocese’ to lay the stone border and slate chippings to the grave.

However, he said, the family went ahead then logged an ecclesiastical court appeal to keep the stones.

However, the family later withdrew their petition, said Mr Hill. “The withdrawal meant that the court could not give retrospective authorisation.”