Although cemeteries are not usually considered a part of landscaping, good design and regular maintenance of church cemeteries can greatly improve the property’s curb appeal, building experts say.
Churches that have cemeteries commonly locate them near their church building, so “we should take them into account in the master plan of the church site,” said Gary Swafford, director of new work and church building services at the Alabama State Board of Missions.
According to Swafford, cemeteries were established before church parking lots became an issue, and many cemeteries were started too close to church buildings, which sometimes prevents expansion projects.
Over the years, David Payne, president of Payne and Associates Architects, has also noticed this problem with numerous churches across the state. “For the rural church planning the location of the cemetery, there has been more than one cemetery that has prevented church growth,” he said.
To help church leaders avoid this problem, Swafford offers the following tips for designing, expanding and maintaining church cemeteries:
Upkeep is vitally important.
“From the viewpoint of non-Christians, respect of the dead is a clear indicator of the degree to which Christians apply their faith,” Swafford said. “Therefore, care should be taken to adequately maintain the cemetery.”
Although Gary Nicholson, an architect in LifeWay Christian Resources Church Architecture Department, generally advises church leaders against adding cemeteries to their properties, he believes the appearance of cemeteries is important to church curb appeal. “The main thing is to avoid a messy cemetery,” he said. “It should be well-maintained, neatly groomed with some sort of ornamental fence.”
Curtis Faulk, a partner with J.K. Terry and Company, agrees with Swafford and Nicholson, and encourages church leaders to incorporate trees on the peripheral of the cemetery to add a special touch.
Cemeteries should be well defined and marked off. “Churches need to decide the limits of the lot and define it using a low brick wall or a more decorative low picket fence,” Swafford added.
Payne also encourages the use of a barrier between the cemetery and the remaining church property, but discourages the use of chain link fences. “A low stone wall would separate the cemetery from the rest to set it off as a revered place,” he said. “Don’t put anything up if you’re going to put up a chain link fence.”
Organize a cemetery committee (whether in-house or in the community) and provide them with written guidelines for the administration and maintenance of the cemetery. This can help the church’s relationship with the surrounding community, Swafford said.
Any cemetery expansion should be back and away from the church building.
Payne said, “Make sure that it is far enough away from proposed parking lots and church facilities.”
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