The petitioners sought a faculty for a memorial plaque on a plot for cremated remains as an exception to the churchyard policy of leaving such plots unmarked. The policy had been applied since the 1960s so as to maintain the churchyard as a grassed rather than a paved area and the incumbent and churchwardens sought to uphold the policy in opposing this petition. A few plaques remained from a 1960s departure from the policy, in the midst of which lay the plot on which the petitioners sought to lay a plaque. From one perspective, the plot was not exceptional and there were no grounds for a plaque. However, from another perspective the plot was an empty space in between two existing memorial stones. Exception could be made so that a memorial plaque would complete the row. The fact that exceptional circumstances were found would by definition prevent the risk of any floodgates being opened to any further applications for memorial stones in breach of the churchyard policy. [Catherine Shelley]