Detecting unmarked graves
A GPR survey maps unmarked and lost graves without disturbing the ground. Cemetery managers use it to find space for new burials and to correct incomplete records.
What the survey finds
When you need a grave survey
Many cemeteries and churchyards are running out of space. Records for the older sections are often incomplete. Plot maps and burial registers were kept by hand for most of their history, and some have been lost or damaged. Headstones go missing, so a visual check of the ground is not reliable either.
A GPR survey is used:
- to find space for new burials in older sections
- to update or check plot maps and records
- before building, drainage or path work in or next to a burial ground
- to locate the graves of individuals for families or researchers
- in historic churchyards where excavation is not appropriate
What the survey finds
GPR detects the disturbed ground of a grave cut, and coffins, brick-lined graves and vaults. Mapping these across the area shows the layout of burials, including rows and plots that have no marker. Just as useful, it shows areas with no sign of burial, which may be available for new plots.
How it is done
We scan the area in closely spaced lines, working around headstones, kerbs and trees. The data is processed into depth slices, which show the graves as a plan at different depths. The results are drawn up as a plot map in CAD with a report. Our surveyors treat burial grounds with respect and work quietly around visitors and services.
Examples of our work
- Finding space in a busy cemetery. At Beeston Cemetery in Nottingham we checked the gaps between marked graves to see whether they held unmarked burials. The drawing used a traffic-light code: green for clear ground, amber where the result was uncertain or too close to another grave, and red for unmarked graves. Many gaps were confirmed clear, extending the working life of the cemetery.
- Checking a boundary before wall repairs. At St James' Church in Oldham a subsiding boundary wall was due to be pinned and rebuilt. Our survey found no evidence of graves along the boundary, so the work could go ahead without disturbing burials.
Limits you should know about
Results depend on the ground. Graves show best in sandy and gravelly soils. In wet clay the signal is weaker and the depth reached is less. Very old burials, or graves where little contrast remains between the fill and the surrounding soil, may not show. Small infant graves are harder to detect. We report areas where results are uncertain so that decisions are not made on weak evidence.
Why use GPR
- No digging, so the ground and the burials are left undisturbed.
- No open trial pits that create a hazard for visitors.
- Whole sections can be mapped in a few days.
- It helps restore a record of people buried without a marker.
Our senior surveyors have over 20 years' experience of GPR, and we carry out grave surveys for local councils and cemetery managers.
Questions we're asked
How do you find an unmarked grave?
Start with the burial records and any old cemetery plans, then look for surface signs such as sunken ground or the line of neighbouring graves. To confirm positions without digging, a GPR survey maps where the ground has been disturbed and where coffins or vaults lie. We draw the results on a cemetery plan, so unmarked graves can be recorded and new plots allocated with confidence.
Can GPR tell whether a grave is occupied?
GPR shows where the ground has been dug and where coffins or vaults are present. It cannot identify individual remains. Where there is doubt, the report flags the area so it is not reused without further checks.
How deep can GPR see in a cemetery?
In most UK soils we expect to see to around 1 to 2 metres, which covers typical burial depths. Wet clay reduces this.
Do you need to move headstones?
No. We work around headstones and kerbs. Areas we cannot reach are shown on the drawing.