The first entry in the first Burial Register at St Mary Astbury was on 4th November 1572 for William Tomson - just this, but written in Latin. This was the general pattern for adult males; an adult female might be entered as the widow or wife of some man, but not always. Children were the son or daughter of some man. An alderman or knight is described as such; sometimes the place someone lived is given, but rarely. This pattern continues until March 1642 (the Civil War), with no more entries until 20th March 1653/4 and eight more thence until 16th September 1658 (the Commonwealth).
Entries resume in a new book (still in Latin) on 3rd January 1660/1 and follow the same pattern, largely, but the place of abode is given, in English. with sometimes an occupation, also in English. From 28th March 1733 the entries are written wholly in English, and these Registers continue until 1832, overlapping our first Register with printed headed pages which came into use on from 1st January 1813. The first column was headed Name and each entry was numbered, with eight entries to each foolscap portrait page, with subsequent columns headed Abode, When buried, Age, and By whom the Ceremony was performed (five columns in total).
This pattern of Register was in use until 1987, when the size became A4 portrait, but with the same column headings.
From 1995, however, we have an A4 landscape Register, with nine columns headed Entry No., Christian name(s) & surname, Address, Date of death, Age, Date of burial, Date of disposal of cremated remains, Plan Ref. No., and Officiating Minister. There are six entries per page.
We have a churchyard plan dating back to the 1870s/80s (but, alas, no key), but in 1892 a parallel Register to the 'official' one was started, which we still keep up-to-date, which records the burial of each person in the format '3 (plots) N(orth) of John Smith H(ead)S(tone)' or 2 E of John Smith F(lat) S(tone), though now we add the Cheshire FHS numbers (see below).
Our current churchyard plans date from 1988 (the old churchyard surrounding the church) and 2004 (the new churchyard across the A34) and were drawn up when members of the Congleton branch of the Cheshire Family History Society recorded our MIs. They started also a new system of numbering the plots, which we still follow today, with the result that we can trace the resting place of anyone buried at Astbury since 1608 (if they have a gravestone) or since 1892 whether they have a stone or not.
So if Astbury is any guide, burial plots have only been able to be recorded in the 'official' printed Registers since very recently.
I believe that there is now a legal requirement to maintain an up-to-date plan, unless the churchyard is officially closed.
William
