Churchyard Conservation Project

When I wandered around the churchyard in the spring of 2004 a small seed was sown as it struck me just how many wild flowers enjoyed life there. Meadow Saxifrage, Lady’s Bedstraw and Ox Eye Daisies to mention just a few. Further research showed that many churchyards, both urban and rural are now managed as small wildlife reserves.

The Upper Waveney Project already managed a small conservation area in the churchyard and I then discovered that the Norfolk Wildlife Trust had coincidentally undertaken a survey in early June which showed a wide variety of insects and flowers taking refuge. They had identified over 30 species of flowering plant, in particular a sizeable population of Meadow Saxifrage. Now rare in the wild it was once a common pasture flower. Rumour had it that Bee Orchids appear every few years as well.

The ground at All Saints has probably been enclosed for as long as the church has stood here and is thus a remnant of ancient grassland. It is an unfortunate fact that 98% of traditional pasture has disappeared in the last 30 years and in Norfolk 50% of the population of the county’s flowers live almost exclusively in churchyards.

Supported by Friends of Thorpe Abbotts Church (FOTAC) and with the advice offered by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and financial support from our local Parish Council, we have re-established the area as a small wildlife haven for both plants and animals. This involved cutting and removing all of this season’s grass, to open up the sward to encourage all the seeds that may have been lying dormant for years. The grass heap (home of slow worms, hedgehogs and all manner of over wintering insects) is growing ever larger!

Now we have two holly trees in the churchyard and it has for some time been a source of considerable disappointment that neither produce berries although both flower in profusion. Now is all explained. It would seem that these two trees are in fact Highclere Holly. This is a rare hybrid raised at the castle in 1835 by crossing our native species with that found in Madeira, and is infertile. Looking at the leaves it makes sense since they are almost totally without the characteristic spines and much more rounded than our native. One of the trees apparently is quite old and it is felt that it may originate from around the time of the church’s restoration.

In July 2005 Stella Taylor came up to undertake a plant survey and found there to be over 100 species of wild flowers and grasses over the 5 conservation areas.

For a copy of the survey click here.

Update

The long hot summer means that the churchyard is remarkably brown. As a result the wildflower display has suffered a little. The Harebells have struggled a little and the orchids have unfortunately not made an appearance this year. Perhaps they have had a holiday and gone to our new Roadside Nature Reserve in Brockdish, such a pity after such a nice display last year.

August will see Peter Frizzell and his team take off the remaining long grass. So the grass heap has gown very considerably. Due the fact that our helpers concentrate on keeping the high profile areas looking good with a cut every two weeks during the summer this leaves us with no alternative but to get Peter in for which the Parish Council help us with a small grant. He does a fantastic job and the Yard looks well shorn just waiting for me to go over with the mower by way of a quick tidy up before the autumn growth kicks in.

Simon