New for 2025 – The PCC has agreed that no herbicides (weedkillers) should be used anywhere within the churchyard. Anyone tending to graves, or other areas of the churchyard are asked to respect this decision of the PCC.

Area A

This covers the area from the church gate leading from the road to the South porch (just past the boiler shed to the west of the church.

This area has a large amount of spring flowers so regular cutting will be limited to pathways for most of the growing season. Fungi are visible in spring and autumn occasionally. Two areas will be left generally uncut for wildlife, one having been planted with wildflower seeds will not be cut so that the seed heads are left for the winter. The other small area forms tussocky grass adjacent to the hedge-line and half of it will be cut each year. A large part of the area is left from April/May to the end of July for summer meadow flowers. Clippings always removed whenever grass is cut.

The regularly tended graves in this area where families have asked for grass to be kept short are kept cut, as is the war grave. A margin of tall grass is left by the hedge-line.

Area B

This area is at the rear of the church (facing south looking towards the river) and is dealt with in two different ways.

Area B1 - Where the newest/regularly visited graves are located the aim is for as much of the grass area as possible to be kept between short and medium length. Mowing is primarily focused on ensuring access paths between graves, avoiding flowering wildflowers where possible. Levelled and grassed graves may possibly be cut but this will not be on a regular basis.

Area B2 - The second part of the area is left to grow long each year (from April/May, for a max 16 weeks) as a summer meadow area, with a mown path to the compost bin. This long grass area will ideally to be cut between the end of July to October so that any fungi are visible in the autumn.

Area C

This area covers the ground between the two church gates following the roadside boundary wall up to the path around the church.

Only one regularly tended grave in this area. Cuts are monthly during the growing season (equates to short/medium length) with patches of flowering wildflowers left to seed

Area D

This area covers the ground from the roadside wall up to the lime tree/compost bin, following the east face of the church.

There are four regularly tended graves in this area, so these will be accessed by means of paths from the compost bin and path around the church. Some areas will be cut after the spring flowers have set seed (mid to late June). The area where an orchid has bloomed in the past will be allowed to grow long to (hopefully) allow it to bloom again.

The remainder of this area is being allowed to become a tussocky grass area and will only be cut once a year, ideally between late August and the middle of October.

If you have some spare time and would like to help us manage our grass areas for wildlife please contact the Churchwarden.