The UK has a growing legacy of full burial grounds, some with historically or architecturally significant graves or memorials. Wear and tear, natural decay and changes in use mean that condition surveys, mapping of burials and relocation of underground structures like vaults are becoming common and more necessary. Many graveyards in the UK have had memorials removed or misplaced and the original grave locatins have been lost but with appropriate detailed mapping and geophysical techniques some reconstruction of layout can be possible.
We can produce detailed accurate plans for cemeteries to include all monuments and topographic features, directly supporting management plans for both active and closed burial grounds. A geographical information system is used to capture burial details such as names and dates for each monument as well as construction and condition.
Photographic recording and condition surveys are also undertaken, whether to guide subsequent conservation work or to identify monuments or burial structures at risk of damage or worth highlighting in cemetery guides.
Work in cemeteries is undertaken with the utmost discretion and respect for the living and the dead and we can accommodate flexible mobilisations.
A full suite of non-invasive methods are available for mapping the underground structure of burial grounds. Radar or electrical resistance surveys are regularly undertaken to locate former vaults or intact (e.g. sealed metal) coffins, both of which can impact upon re-use or landscaping activities. In general, detection of individual burials is limited to those associated with coffins but in old burial grounds a significant number may lack these.
However, it is possible to determine the depth of gravesoil across a cemetery as a proxy instead of attempting to map discrete graves, e.g. by using electrical resistivity tomography to build cross sections. This may be the most reliable method of detection of mass graves associated with past epidemics or disasters.
Within churches and chapels radar is normally the best method for detection of underfloor structure including vaults.
©TigerGeo Limited - Registered in England & Wales 09895326 - D-U-N-S 22-127-7456 - All Rights Reserved