Graveyard Regulations

The burial grounds at St Patrick’s Church, Templepatrick and St John’s Church, Donegore are managed by the officiating member of the clergy and churchwardens of the parish in accordance with these Parish Graveyard Regulations.
 

All committals should follow a Christian burial service and be conducted by a minister who is authorised to do so by the officiating member of the clergy and churchwardens.
 

Any requests to register an interest in an interment space, for permission to bury, or for alterations to existing headstones or grave surrounds must be directed to the officiating member of the clergy, the churchwardens or to The Graveyard Registrar, 10a Ballyclough Road, Lisburn, BT28 3UY who will respond on their behalf.
 

A re-registration of all interment spaces in the graveyards was conducted in 1989. Any interment space that was not re-registered at that time was officially closed and it cannot be reopened for any further burials.
 

Normally the holder of burial registration papers, or a funeral director acting on their behalf will make application for burial to the officiating member of the clergy and churchwardens or to the graveyard registrar, who may respond on their behalf. These papers should be produced before a burial can take place.
 

Once the papers have been produced and the interment space re-registration verified, the interment space will be checked to ensure that burial can take place in accordance with the Graveyard Rules below.
 

When members of a family have been buried in a particular place, and following the death of the person whose name appears on the burial registration paper for that burial space, a family member/s may apply to the officiating member of the clergy and churchwardens or to the graveyard registrar on their behalf, for the registration of interest in that space to be transferred to themselves or another family member, subject to a check that any further burial can be conducted within the Graveyard Rules below. When such a transfer of interest has been approved by the officiating member of the clergy and churchwardens, either the existing burial registration paper should be endorsed accordingly, or the existing burial registration paper surrendered and a new paper issued. Other relevant parish documents should be amended accordingly.

Prior to installation or alteration, all plans and proposed designs for headstones, flatstones, surrounds and for any treatment of the grave surface must be submitted in advance to the officiating member of the clergy and churchwardens for approval, or to the graveyard registrar.

 

Any proposed inscription or alteration to an inscription must be approved in advance by the officiating member of the clergy.

 

No permanent memorial marks, other than those approved above, may be placed on graves. Any hazardous or dangerous memorial or surround may be removed or laid flat in the interests of safety.

 

As the burial ground is subject to natural settlement, the registered holder of the burial registration papers should ensure that headstones, flatstones, memorials and grave surrounds are at all times maintained in good order.

 

Unauthorised memorials may be removed by instruction of the officiating member of the clergy and churchwardens at the expense of those holding the burial registration papers.

​​

The charges outlined are those approved by the Diocesan Council for this burial ground.

Please note that interment spaces remain the property of the Church of Ireland.

The charges itemised are payable in advance to The United Parish of Templepatrick and Donegore, c/o The Incumbent, 10a Ballyclough Road, Lisburn, BT28 3UY.