St Martin’s Churchyard

One of the joys of ministry at St Martin’s is the number of people who visit our churchyard. I have often said that for many people in our community it is the churchyard that makes this a sacred site, rather than the church. This in turn means that many people have views and opinions about the churchyard. Some people feel that the whole churchyard should be managed on ‘hay meadow’ lines. Some feel that the entire sward should never exceed a uniform 3 cm height. Some want to enclose their family grave with kerbs or railings or cover them with ornaments and mementos (which can be really dangerous to our gardeners.) Some feel deeply affronted by the decorations or planting which adorn the graves next to the resting place of their own family. Just as I was pondering how to spell mementos, Susie, who helps to maintain our Regimental graves popped into the office to ask me to ask people to stop putting glass – vases and pint glasses amongst others – on graves because of the danger that they pose to someone who is mowing or strimming.

Just at the moment, we have been getting quite a lot of comments about the height of the grass in some sections of the churchyard. I never mind queries or comments which offer a chance to explain what’s happening, but some of these comments have been rude and verged on harassment of Scott our hard-working Sexton. Quite apart from anything else, the time that Scott takes politely dealing with unkind comments is time that he is not mowing.

Anyone visiting our churchyard today will see our ‘meadow’ section of older graves looking beautiful and full of native grasses and broadleaved plants. The flower beds tended by dedicated volunteers are blooming. The Regimental plot, which is maintained by a mixture of paid and volunteer staff, including Susie, as well as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, is very neat and the poppies and roses in particular are a picture. Most areas of the churchyard are in the tidy condition that visitors have come to expect and some areas have up to about a months growth. Put simply, at this time of year it takes roughly 72 hours to mow (actually to remove obstacles on the graves, strim around the stones, mow between the rows and deal with the cut grass) the entire churchyard. We employ Scott for 15 hours per week, so just now, when growth is most vigorous, it takes 5 weeks to cover the whole area. When unavoidable absence, unpredictable weather and other circumstances are added in, some areas of the churchyard are always going to have a months growth on them – and at this time of year that might mean grass seedheads reaching 50cm or more.

The rules about what decorations and monuments are permitted in our churchyard are set by the Diocese and can be found on our website. Please do be careful with vases and other items left on graves – china, glass and plastics can be degraded by the weather and become very hazardous for anyone working around them. Our staff and volunteers should be able to work safely and without harassment as they maintain our grounds. We are always grateful for offers of help and for those families who maintain their own plots. We receive no external financial support for the upkeep of the churchyard, the cost is borne entirely by the church. I am always grateful for constructive comments. I would ask that complaints are directed to me, preferable by email at [email protected] Compliments – of which there are many – can go directly to Scott who can be found working in the churchyard several days each week.

Many thanks

Anne

For more information on management of the meadow area: https://www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/

For diocesan regulations on churchyard monuments: https://www.hereford.anglican.org/churchyards-and-memorials/