[Talk-GB] Mapping graveyards / church grounds

[Mark Goodge]

On 14/02/2021 16:29, David Woolley wrote:

> I have come across graveyards that have no photography rules (the one in 
> question had a relatively famous grave), and I think others sell grave 
> catalogue information, so might not appreciate OSM mappers (they are 
> private property).

Most graveyards and cemeteries belong either to the church they are 
associated with or the local authority (usually the parish council if 
there is one, otherwise the district or unitary authority). While 
technically private in the sense of not being dedicated as a public 
right of way, they are almost always open to access by the public - not 
least because the owners of individual burial plots have a right of 
access, and it would be impractical to restrict access to such people 
alone. So, provided you do it reasonably discreetly, and don't disturb 
people who are there to visit graves, I can't see any real objection to 
people accessing the site to help map it.

(In fact, the legislation governing municipal cemeteries includes a 
clause prohibiting entry to a cemetery when it is closed to the public; 
the existence of that clause implies that, when not closed, it is open 
to the public!)

A "no photography" rule is, usually, also about protecting the privacy 
of people visiting the graves of their friends and relatives. It's a 
location were people may well be in an emotional state (particularly if 
the grave is a recent one and they were close to its occupant), and the 
last thing they want is to end up in someone else's photo gallery.

As for selling catalogue information, that's usually made available for 
the benefit of visitors to the graveyard and the cost is merely a way to 
defray the expenses incurred in maintaining the catalogue (and, if it's 
supplied on paper, the printing and materials costs). It's rarely a 
profit-making exercise. So they may well welcome the work of volunteer 
mappers who would be producing data that can be used in a catalogue.

Mark