Turn your burial ground into a live, searchable map
Most church burial records exist in ledgers, folders, or spreadsheets — if they exist at all. Churchnet digitises those records and plots every grave on an interactive map, so anyone can find what they need in seconds.
Paper records are a liability few parishes can afford
Church burial records are often the oldest and most sensitive documents a parish holds. They are also frequently among the least well-organised.
When a family calls wanting to find a loved one's grave, or a funeral director needs to know a plot's availability, the answer shouldn't depend on whether a particular volunteer is available, or whether a folder can be found.
- Paper records that take hours to search — or can't be found at all
- Records held in someone's memory, lost when they move on
- Families calling to locate a grave, with no quick answer available
- Plot ownership unclear; available plots hard to identify
- Legal and diocesan reporting made difficult by disorganised data
- No way to know at a glance what capacity remains
A live, searchable burial ground at burials.churchnet.co
Every record searchable by name. Every plot visible on a map. Accessible on a mobile in the churchyard.
Visual map interface
Every plot overlaid on an aerial photograph or plan of the churchyard, each with its own ID (e.g. SE01, SE10).
Search by name
Find any burial record instantly. Results link directly to the plot's location on the map.
Filters & sorting
Filter by type (Standard, Ashes, Other), occupancy, and capacity. Sort by name, date, type, or occupancy.
Plan ↔ Photo toggle
Switch instantly between the original plan drawing and an aerial photograph of the churchyard.
Mobile-ready
Designed to be used standing in the churchyard. Works on any smartphone — no app required.
Parish admin login
Secure login for parish administrators to manage and update records as needed.
The interface, illustrated
From your records to a live system
We handle the data work. Most burial records are imperfect — that's fine. We're experienced with incomplete, inconsistent, and hard-to-read data.
We collect your existing records in whatever format they exist — paper, spreadsheet, ledger, or a combination.
We structure and clean the data, handle incomplete or inconsistent records, and prepare everything for the system.
We overlay plot boundaries on aerial or plan imagery of your churchyard, assigning IDs to each plot.
You receive a working, searchable system with parish login credentials — ready to use immediately.
Useful to everyone involved with the burial ground
Families
Locate a loved one's grave quickly, without waiting for someone to search through paper records.
Funeral directors & clergy
Check plot availability and position quickly when preparing for a service.
Parish administrators
Manage plot allocation, update records, and report for diocesan purposes from a single system.
Churchwardens
Maintain accurate records for legal and diocesan requirements, with an audit trail that doesn't depend on memory.
What makes this different from a spreadsheet
Visual, not just searchable
A database tells you a record exists. A map shows you where to find the grave — useful when you're standing in a churchyard in the rain.
Works on a phone
Designed to be used in the field, not just at a desk. Search, filter, and navigate to a plot while you're standing outside.
Links people to physical plots
Each record connects to a specific, labelled location on an aerial image. Not just a name in a list — an actual place.
Built for incomplete data
Most burial records are imperfect. Some are illegible, partial, or inconsistent. We handle that — the system still works with whatever you have.
Significant admin time saved
Queries that once took hours — finding a plot, checking occupancy, identifying available spaces — take seconds.
Managed ongoing
As new burials occur, records can be updated. The system grows with the churchyard rather than becoming out of date.
Find out how we can map your burial ground
Pricing depends on the number of plots and condition of your existing records. A short conversation is usually enough to give you a clear picture.