A Guide to Church
Registers and
Parochial Fees
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Contents
Introduction
Page___
3
Register Book of Banns
4-5
Marriage Register Book
5-6
Register Book of Burials
7-8
Register Book of Baptisms
8-9
Register Book of Services
9 - 10
Fee Audits
11
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Introduction
What are Parochial Fees?
Parochial fees are the fees charged for certain services
(sometimes called “occasional offices”) conducted by the Church
of England. These are set by the Church of England’s governing
body, the General Synod and Parliament. They are legally
chargeable and recoverable as a debt. The table of fees is listed
on the Church of England website
http://www.churchofengland.org/weddings-baptismsfunerals/fees.aspx
and the Bath and Wells Diocesan website
http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/admin/parochial-fees/
Services specified in the Ecclesiastical Fees Measure
Baptisms, Marriages, Funerals and Burials of persons aged 16
years of or more, Monuments in Churchyards and Searches in
Church Registers.
Extras
The Order specifies that parochial fees include any costs and
expenses incurred in relation to a service for routine
administration (including arranging dates and times and the
making odd entries in registers), making the church available and
lighting it. From January 2013, it is unlawful to make any
additional charge for these items.
Examples of elements that can be charged as extras include:
● heating
● the services of an organist, choir or bell-ringers;
● sheet or recorded music that has to be specially purchased;
● the provision of recorded or taped music;
● the taking of films, video or sound recordings;
● flowers;
● special furnishings.
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Register Book of Banns
What are Banns?
A notice read out on three successive Sundays in a parish church,
announcing an intended marriage and giving the opportunity for
objections. The purpose of banns is to enable anyone to raise any
canonical or civil legal impediment to the marriage, so as to
prevent marriages that are invalid.
Banns - The Marriage Act 1949
Section 7(3) of the Marriage Act 1949 states:
The parochial church council of a parish shall provide for every
church and chapel in the parish in which marriages may be
solemnized, a register book of banns made of durable materials
and marked in the manner directed by section 54 of this Act for
the register book of marriages, and all banns shall be published
from the said register book of banns by the officiating clergyman,
and not from loose papers, and after each publication the entry in
the register book shall be signed by the officiating clergyman, or
by some person under his direction.
The Marriage Act 1949 can be viewed at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1949/76/pdfs/ukpga_1949
0076_en.pdf
Entries in the Register Book of Banns
Items to be completed:
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Reference
Name of Bride and Groom
Dates of the services when banns were
read
Each entry must be signed by the
officiating minister
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If the marriage service is taking place in another church, a banns
certificate will need to be produced and passed to the couple.
Banns - Treatment of Parochial Fees
From 1 January 2013, all banns fees and certificate fees should
be retained by the PCC.
There are no fees for retired ministers for reading banns.
Marriage Register Book
Marriages - The Marriage Act 1949
Section 54 of the Marriage Act 1949 states:
(2) Marriage register books furnished as aforesaid shall be of
durable materials, and the heads of information required to be
known and registered in relation to marriages shall be printed on
each side of every leaf thereof; and every page of a marriage
register book, and every place of entry therein, shall be numbered
progressively from the beginning to the end of the book, beginning
with the number one, and every entry shall be divided from the
following entry by a printed line.
(3) Every entry made in a marriage register book by virtue of this
section shall be made in consecutive order from the beginning to
the end of each book and, in the case of an entry made otherwise
than by a registrar, the number of the entry shall be the same in
each duplicate marriage register book.
Section 55(2) of the Marriage Act 1949 states:
Every entry made in a marriage register book by virtue of this
section by a clergyman, registering officer, secretary or authorised
person shall be signed by the clergyman, registering officer,
secretary or authorised person, as the case may be, and by the
parties to the marriage and two witnesses, and every entry so
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made by a registrar shall be signed by the person by or before
whom the marriage was solemnized, if any, and by the registrar,
the parties to the marriage and two witnesses.
The Marriage Act 1949 can be viewed at:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1949/76/pdfs/ukpga_1949
0076_en.pdf
Entries in the Marriage Register Book
Items to be completed:
The Header of each page in the book
Reference (usually printed already)
Date of marriage
Name, age, condition and profession of
Bride and Groom
Bride and Groom’s residence at the
time of marriage
Bride and Groom’s Fathers’ names and
professions
The place of marriage
All entries must be signed by witnesses
All entries must be signed by the
officiating minister
Marriages - Treatment of Parochial Fees
Fees should be split between the PCC and the DBF (and retired
minister if applicable) as per the current Table of Parochial Fees
available at http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/admin/parochialfees/.
All banns fees and certificate fees should be retained by the PCC.
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Register Book of Burials
Burials - Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978
(1) A register book of public and private baptisms shall be
provided for every parish or, in the case of a parish which has
more than one parish church, for each such church, and a
register book of burials shall be provided for every parish which
has a burial ground in use or, in the case of a parish which has
more than one such ground, for each such ground.
(2) The register books referred to in subsection (1) above shall be
provided by, and shall be deemed to belong to, the parochial
church council of the parish.
(3) Such register books shall be of durable material and the heads
of information required by this Measure to be entered therein
shall in the case of every such book provided after the
commencement of this Measure be printed on every leaf
thereof.
(4) Every place of entry in every such register book shall be
numbered progressively from the beginning to the end of the
book, beginning with the number one, and every entry shall be
divided from the following entry by a printed line.
The Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978 can be
viewed at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukcm/1978/2
Entries in the Register Book of Burials
Items to be completed:
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Reference
Full name of the person buried
Address of the person buried
Date of death
Age of the deceased
Date of burial / Date of disposal of
cremated remains
Plan reference number
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All entries must be signed by the officiating minister
Some older books may be slightly different.
Burials - Treatment of Parochial Fees
Fees should be split between the PCC and the DBF (and retired
minister if applicable) as per the current Table of Parochial Fees
which can be viewed at
http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/admin/parochial-fees/.
Register Book of Baptisms
Register Book of Baptisms
(1) A register book of public and private baptisms shall be provided
for every parish or, in the case of a parish which has more than
one parish church, for each such church, and a register book of
burials shall be provided for every parish which has a burial
ground in use or, in the case of a parish which has more than
one such ground, for each such ground.
(2) The register books referred to in subsection (1) above shall be
provided by, and shall be deemed to belong to, the parochial
church council of the parish.
(3) Such register books shall be of durable material and the heads
of information required by this Measure to be entered therein
shall in the case of every such book provided after the
commencement of this Measure be printed on every leaf
thereof.
(4) Every place of entry in every such register book shall be
numbered progressively from the beginning to the end of the
book, beginning with the number one, and every entry shall be
divided from the following entry by a printed line.
The Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978 can be
viewed at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukcm/1978/2
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Entries in the Register Book of Baptisms
Items to be completed:
Date of birth
Date of Baptism and reference number
Christian name of the person being baptised
Full names of the parents
Address of the parents
Parents’ trade or profession
God-Parents’ names
Signature of the officiating minister
Some registers also include a date of birth to be completed.
Baptisms - Treatment of Parochial Fees
The only charges for baptisms are for certificates. These fees are
to remain with the PCC.
Register Book of Services
Canons of the Church of England – Section F
A register book of services shall be provided in all churches and
chapels.
In the said register book shall be recorded every service of
public worship, together with the name of the officiating
minister and of the preacher (if he be other than the officiating
minister), the number of communicants, and the amount of any
alms or other collection and, if desired, notes of significant
events.
Canons of the Church of England Section F can be viewed at:
http://www.churchofengland.org/aboutus/structure/churchlawlegis/canons/section-f.aspx
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Entries in the Register Book of Services
This register should hold information about every service that has
taken place at the church, therefore the more information that is
available the better as long as it is legible and relevant.
A standard service register would require:
Date, day and time of service
Type of Service
Officiating Minister
No of Communicants
Attendance (under 16s and over 16s)
Preaching Minister
Subject and notes
Amount of collection
Reconciliation to the other registers
It is a good exercise to reconcile the service register to the other
registers at appropriate intervals.
This reconciliation is to ensure that all entries are being recorded
in both the relevant register and in the service register. This is one
of the things that are checked if your benefice has a fee audit (see
next section).
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Fee Audits
In accordance with Section 9(i) of the Parochial Registers and
Records Measure 1978, the Bishop has instructed the DBF to set
up a system of inspection of parochial registers on a random and
risk basis by the Board’s officers. This is, in part, a response to a
requirement from the auditors of the DBF for a clear audit trail
relating to the receipt and disbursement of fee income. It is also in
response to a number of high profile national cases concerning
improper accounting of fee income.
If your benefice is chosen for a fee audit, the Incumbent / Priest in
Charge will receive an email / letter requesting the books to be
available at an agreed date, time and location.
Two members of the Finance Team take part in the visit and all of
the registers listed above, plus any blue monument forms and
record of cremations, are required for the visit.
It is important that fee returns are up to date before the audit
takes place.
Help and Support
For more information regarding the treatment of parochial fees,
please see the diocesan website:
http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/admin/parochial-fees/
Or contact the Finance Team at the Diocesan Office.
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http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/
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