A Year in the Churchyard 2024 - from the Parish Newsletter

As published earlier in the year, the management plan for the old churchyard was designed to make the space more wildlife friendly, whilst still being accessible and attractive to visitors. This started with a lot of bramble clearance on the northern boundary, cutting back or removing unruly shrubs and defining a network of paths that would allow easy access around the churchyard. Volunteer work parties from the SWFV assisted in this. 

Several information slates have been put in various places to explain briefly why certain things are happening and there is a more comprehensive folder on our wildlife friendly churchyard in the church porch. A number of dead hedges and wire stick bins were sited to hold as much of the debris as possible, reducing the amount of burning and creating good habitat in the process. A very untidy area adjacent to the western perimeter wall was cleared and planted with a variety of nectar rich flowering perennials to provide for pollinating insects throughout the summer, whilst adding an attractive feature in the process. 

Gradually reducing the soil fertility will reduce competition from rank grasses and hopefully allow a greater variety of flowering plants to thrive. To achieve this, all mowing clippings are now collected, rather than leaving them to decompose and return nutrients to the soil. A large compost bin was constructed to hold these clippings and provide a further habitat for invertebrates. A lot more locally sourced, native wildflower seeds, have been spread this autumn including Yellow Rattle. This plant is a hemiparasite, taking nutrients from the roots of other plants around it. This means that the vigour of grasses is reduced in its presence and other species stand more of a chance with the reduced competition.

Early spring saw a wonderful showing of cowslips and primroses. These have been allowed to set seed, so hopefully the display will build year on year. Leaving areas of grass to grow long was always in the plan. Taller flowering plants like Ox-eye Daisies gave a lovely display and beneath the canopy life thrived. There is now a healthy population of Field Voles and signs of their activities can be seen by parting the grass stems and looking for their runs and balls of chewed grass. Invertebrate species were abundant in the damp areas close to the soil and young Slow worms were spotted, signs of breeding probably due to the increase in food and reduction in disturbance from mowers and strimmers. Long grass isn’t popular with everyone despite its value to nature. Agreed, it does look somewhat scruffy towards the end of the season. Most has now been cut down with a couple of areas left until spring for the voles to hide in. Next year, there will be a reduction in areas left totally unchecked with more being cut on a high setting. This will, hopefully, allow shorter flowering plants to spread. 

One of the many interesting species seen regularly in the churchyard was the Wall Brown butterfly. Very much an endangered UK species, this butterfly loves warm stone to bask on and tall grasses to breed in, so it was very encouraging to see them here. 

October saw the scheduled removal of three large trees from an area at the eastern end of the church. The wood from these was used to construct two large woodpiles, adding further valuable habitat to the churchyard. At the base of the largest woodpile a hedgehog hibernation space was created.

Cutting the Ivy back in spring, after the berries have been consumed by winter thrushes, has been very successful. Autumn saw a mass of new flowers which were alive with bees and butterflies, in particular Red Admirals and Peacocks. Regular visitors to the church will have noticed the large numbers of Ivy bees around the bank between the Lych Gate and the church porch in September and October. They nested here last year but there were many more this autumn. These are completely harmless so their presence here is welcomed.

During the coming winter months, the PCC will provide funding for replacement trees to mitigate the loss of those recently felled. These will be native deciduous trees and shrubs and will, in time, provide food for native species as well as adding diversity and colour to the churchyard. These will be planted by the SWFV. The other major project is the installation of a wildlife pond. As well as creating a new and valuable habitat, a pond will provide a much needed water source. There is already a healthy population of Common Toads in the churchyard and a pond will be a great attraction for them.

In conjunction with the SWFV, wildlife in the churchyard is being regularly monitored. We have found a total of 106 flowering plant species this year with grasses, sedges, ferns and trees adding a further 30 or more species. We are hoping to see this incredibly valuable space buzzing with life in 2025.