Porlock Parish Council Faces ‘Wake Up Call’ Over Unsafe Headstones at Historic Cemetery
Clerk says inspection revealing more than 100 unstable memorials was “a shock” as the council seeks £100,000 to make the site safe
A routine inspection has left Porlock Parish Council facing a £100,000 bill to make Hawkcombe Cemetery safe after more than 100 memorials were found to be unstable.
Jonathan Jones, the council’s clerk and responsible financial officer, said the discovery had been “quite a shock” for councillors.
“It was just meant to be a standard memorial inspection. We thought everything would be fine because it looked fine” he explained. “But when the qualified inspectors came in, we found all of these problems. It’s been a bit of a wake up call.”
Hawkcombe Cemetery has served the community for 135 years, with its first burial recorded in 1890. The inspection revealed that many headstones were at risk of toppling, some weighing several hundred kilograms. For safety reasons, the council has laid many of them flat while long term repairs are arranged.
Jones said the risk of injury, though statistically low, carried a potentially “high impact.”
“We’ve seen fatalities elsewhere in the UK linked to unstable memorials” he said. “We can’t take that chance here.”
The total cost of the work, estimated at more than £100,000, includes around £27,000 to refix the memorials plus wider repairs to paths, steps and handrails across the steeply sloping site. The council has committed £7,000 but is now looking for grants and family contributions to cover the remainder.
Some families, Jones acknowledged, were distressed to see headstones laid flat.
“It’s not something the council has done lightly” he said. “We understand how upsetting it can be, but we’ve also had relatives come forward asking how they can help repair their loved ones’ memorials. That’s been really positive.”
The council will meet on November 12 to discuss next steps, including potential community involvement and a new five year inspection programme to prevent a repeat of the situation.
Jones said the issue was part of a wider national problem.
“The Institute of Cemetery and Crematorium Management has told us this is happening across the country” he said. “A lot of parish councils just haven’t faced it yet, but once you know there’s a risk you’re responsible for it. That’s the reality.”
Despite the financial challenge, he said the council remains determined to preserve Porlock’s heritage.
“This cemetery tells the story of our community” he added. “It’s a place people care deeply about and we’re committed to making it safe for generations to come.”