Please read the Church of England's 'Life Events' section on Weddings

As of 1st October 2008 the law changed with regard to marriage in a Church of England Church.

The changes will mean an engaged couple are welcome to be married in church in a parish if just one of these applies:

• one of them was baptised or prepared for confirmation in the parish;

• one of them has ever lived in the parish for six months or more;

• one of them has at any time regularly attended public worship in the parish for six months or more;

• one of their parents has lived in the parish for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;

• one of their parents has regularly attended public worship there for six months or more in their child’s lifetime;

• their parents or grandparents were married in the parish.

  ^{(All of these refer to Church of England services)}

If neither of you meets the requirements above:

You may still be able to marry in one of the Binsey Team churches, these are the options open to you:

A) Electoral Roll Membership

By attending church regularly for a minimum of six months one or both of you are entitled to apply for membership on the Church Electoral Roll. This entitles you to be married by banns (see above)

B) Common Licence

This requires one of you reside in the parish for a minimum of 15 days before the issue of the Licence. Application can be made to the Diocesan Registrar or a local clergyman acting as a Surrogate for marriages.

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (Mrs B J Lowdon)
Carlisle Diocesan Registry
The Cube
Barrack Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 6DB
Tel: 0191 226 7878

C) Superintendent Registrar's Certificate

This can be obtained by application to the Superintendent Registrars of the civil registration districts in which both parties reside. One of the parties must have the required seven day's residence within both the registration district and the parish in which the marriage is to take place.

(For marriages in Bassenthwaite, Isel, Setmurthy)

The Superintendent Registrar
Fairfield
Station Road,
Cockermouth
Cumbria CA13 9PT
Tel: 01900 325960

(For marriages in Boltons, Ireby, Uldale, Torpenhow, Allhallows, Plumbland)

The Registrar (Wigton District)
Council Offices
Wigton,
CumbriaCA7 9QD
Tel: 016973 42155

D) Special Licence

Application can be made to the Archbishop of Canterbury for a Special Licence. This is an exceptional means and is only advised when there are good pastoral links with the church in which you wish to marry.