Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Council has issued an urgent appeal to trace family members of two people interred at Hengoed Cemetery after cemetery staff found the headstones were unsafe. The council, which acts as Burial Authority for the site, says it will arrange for the memorials to be laid flat if it cannot agree alternative repairs with relatives by the end of this month.
Which graves are affected
| Grave number | Names recorded |
|---|---|
| 217 | John and Dora Turner |
| 248 | Gwyllym and Gweneth Ivy Davies |
The parish council stresses that it has responsibility for the health and safety of cemetery visitors. Where headstones are judged to be unsafe they are temporarily supported and families or grave owners are expected to arrange repairs within an 18-month period. In these two cases the council says that period has elapsed without repairs being made.
What the council has done so far
- Signs were placed on both graves in August 2024 asking relatives to make contact.
- Notices were included in the Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Roundabout magazine.
- Now the council is asking anyone with information to get in touch urgently, warning it will lay the stones flat if no arrangements are agreed.
“We are asking the relatives of John and Dora Turner, buried in grave 217 at the cemetery and Gwyllym and Gweneth Ivy Davies, buried in grave 248 at the cemetery to get in touch with us as soon as possible as the headstones on both of these graves have been classed as unsafe.”
The council pointed to the real danger posed by unstable memorials, citing a recent tragic incident elsewhere where a child was killed when a headstone fell. That case, in Lancashire in 2025, underlines why local authorities carry out periodic safety testing and act where risks are identified.
How to contact the parish council
Family members or grave owners who can help should contact Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Council by phone on 01691 886502 or by email at [email protected]. The council has asked for contact “as soon as possible” to discuss repairs or other arrangements.
For residents who visit Hengoed Cemetery, the action is a reminder of the parish council’s ongoing inspection programme and the need for families to keep grave ownership details up to date. Where repairs are needed, owners are expected to make them within the set timescale; otherwise the authority may take steps to make the site safe for staff and visitors.
