Our Cemetery

** Announcement of By-law Revision **

Draft By-law September 2026


The Carlisle United Church Cemetery is adjacent to Carlisle Church, on the south side.


It serves the greater Carlisle area. Persons residing in this area and/or members and families of the Carlisle/Kilbride pastoral charge are eligible to be interred in the cemetery. Carlisle United Church considers the provision of a peaceful and well-maintained cemetery to be part of our outreach to the local community.

 

 

If you require further information regarding pricing, availability of lots, or Cemetery By-Laws, please contact the Cemetery Manager, Cathy Moulder, at [email protected] or 289-527-0712 (phone or text). O r you can leave a message at the Church office (905-689-8630 or [email protected] ).

Cemetery History

(adapted from “A History of Carlisle United Church from its Beginnings to 1991” by Arlene Bogle Munro and Brian Harrison)

The first people to settle in what is now Carlisle were native Canadians of the peaceful Neutral tribe. According to archaeological studies, about one hundred Neutrals created a hamlet and burial grounds on lands bordering the Twelve Mile Creek. They lived here between 1580 and 1600, before being wiped out by the Five Nations Iroquois.

The first people of European descent to settle in Carlisle were John and Catherine Eaton in 1826. As other settlers gradually moved in around them, the Eatons opened their home to the first regular Sunday services of worship. By 1839, the first Chapel at the Twelve was built, serving both as school and church.

Although John Eaton was the first permanent settler to live in Carlisle, he was not the first to be buried here. That distinction belongs to an Irish immigrant named Alexander Kerr, who was killed on July 10, 1836 when a tree fell on him. Land for the first Christian cemetery was being cleared about this time and Mr. Kerr became the first occupant.

Since then, the cemetery at Carlisle has been enlarged three times and is one of the last under the direct care of the United Church of Canada.

John and Catherine Eaton are buried in Carlisle Cemetery. So is Freeman Green, thought to be the first person born in Carlisle and a descendent of Billy ‘The Scout’ Green, a hero of the War of 1812.

Columbarium Garden

In 2016, Carlisle United Church added a columbarium garden to the cemetery, with the assistance of a generous bequest from Flamborough resident Ernest Cust. The purpose of the columbaria is to offer an alternative to traditional in-ground burials, in an attractive park-like setting.

Each granite columbarium has two sides, with 24 spaces on each side, for a total of 96 spaces. In addition to the three columbaria that have already been installed, there is space to add two more.
If you require further information regarding columbarium pricing or availability of niches, please contact the Cemetery Manager, Cathy Moulder, at [email protected] or 289-527-0712. Or you can leave a message at the Church office (905-689-8630 or [email protected]).

Carlisle Butterfly Habitat

In May of 2022, Carlisle United Church Cemetery added a butterfly garden. This small area, along the south wall of the church building, refreshes the Hazel Watson Memorial Garden with plants that will attract and sustain Monarch butterflies and other native species.

The Carlisle Butterfly Habitat is registered with Monarchwatch.org as a  Monarch Waystation. 


December to March


Carlisle United Church Cemetery will not be plowing our laneways during the winter months, due to salt damage to the trees and vegetation. The lanes are closed to vehicular traffic for safety's sake.


If you require access, please contact the Cemetery Manager at [email protected] or 289-527-0712


The Bereavement Authority of Ontario

Consumer Information Guide: A Guide to Death Care in Ontario ~

[https://thebao.ca/for-consumers/consumer-information-guide/]


Carlisle United Church Cemetery

BAO License # 3275468-1

Site # 01286

Additional Links of Interest: