Last updated 28th February 2022
The Diocesan Registry deals with a large proportion of the legal matters affecting the Diocese, the Bishop, the parishes and all the other organisations and officers of the Diocese.
They include processing faculties, keeping many of the legal records of the Diocese, administrative aspects of ordinations and members of the clergy, legal aspects of marriages, regulation and consecration of churchyards, the roles of churchwardens, and the representation of clergy and laity in the Parochial Church Councils and other bodies engaged in governance of the Diocese.
Lisa Moncur provides our registry services and is located within the Diocesan Offices at Blackburn.
Registrar: lisa.moncur@blackburn.anglican.org
Phone: 07966 531786
Registry Clerk: patrick.brown@blackburn.anglican.org
Phone: 01254 958837
Diocesan Registry
Clayton House
Walker Office Park
BLACKBURN
BB1 2QE
Grave Space Reservations
In Church of England churchyards that remain open, it is possible to apply to the Consistory Court to reserve a grave space for the burial of remains. Whether the application is successful is at the discretion of the Court.
The Chancellor of the Diocese, as Judge, will determine whether the reservation shall be made. The following will be considered: the views of the church council, churchwarden and minister responsible for the churchyard, whether the applicant lives in the parish or is on the electoral roll, how many spaces are available in the churchyard and how quickly remaining spaces are likely to be taken.
An application to reserve a grave space is made by lodging a Court Petition with the Diocesan Registry. This is submitted to the Registry with a fee* which is payable upon application.
Before submitting a petition, we recommend consulting with the minister or churchwardens responsible for the churchyard which you intend to petition to reserve a space in.
*The fee for 2022 is £311.20
Useful Documents
Reserving a Grave Space: The Process