Aims
- To respect the primary purpose of cemeteries and churchyards, which is that of burial and as a space to accommodate grieving visitors, whilst sensitively promoting their nature conservation value.
- To increase awareness of the biological and historical importance of churchyards and cemeteries.
- To promote appropriate management of churchyards and cemeteries.
Introduction
Churchyards are burial grounds associated with an identifiable church building. Some churches have also established extensions and detached burial grounds to provide additional space. The church buildings are an important aspect of their nature conservation value.
The majority of cemeteries are interdenominational burial grounds in municipal or private ownership found outside the confines of a religious meeting place, though many also contain chapels and other masonry habitats.
Waltham Forest today, comprises the parishes of Leyton, Walthamstow and Chingford all of which had parish churches. The site of St. Mary The Virgin Church is thought to date from the 11th and 12th centuries.
Until 1840 the borough was rural in character, the availability of land was not restricted and in most cases there was no defined boundary between the churchyard and the surrounding fields. The expansion of the railways around 1870 led to the growth of residential buildings spreading from Leyton and Leytonstone reaching the north of the borough around 1900. This rapid urban development reduced the ground available for burial and churches built in the borough after this time do not have burial grounds.
In Waltham Forest burial grounds habitats include grassland, woodland, scrub and wetland. Churchyards may contain some of the oldest remnants of undisturbed grassland due their early enclosure and lack of development. Species associated with the boroughs cemeteries and churchyards include woodland edge species such as bats, stag beetle, spotted flycatcher, tawny owl and song thrush, as well as holly blue, speckled wood and orange tip butterflies. Gold crests often nest in cemeteries with many evergreen trees.
The gravestones, monuments and walls of both cemeteries and churchyards provide an unusual 'masonry habitat' similar to `rock outcrops' which are rare in the urban context.
These host ferns, invertebrates and lichens communities. Fungi and mosses are also a feature of certain cemeteries and churchyards.
Cemeteries and churchyards make a significant contribution to the provision of green space, offering a quiet sanctuary for both people and wildlife. Some are visited by significant numbers of people, they have heritage value and they can be important to family history researchers. However, the prime purpose of burial ground is for burial of the dead, their veneration and commemoration, and many people desire memorials to be maintained with readable inscriptions.
Current Status
The table below shows all the churches and cemeteries in the borough. Some of these are very small and may not contain green burial space.
| Site Name | Site Address | Size of Site (Acres) |
|---|---|---|
| St. Francis Church and Hall (eastern most end of) | Hawkwood Crescent, Chingford | 0.31 |
| St. Peter and St. Paul's Church Cemetery | Flanked by Chingford Green, Chingford | 0.36 |
| All Saints Church | Old Church Road (opp. Chingford Mount Cemetery, Chingford | 0.47 |
| Chingford Mount Cemetery | Chingford Mount Road, Chingford | 41.43 |
| St. Edmunds Church Hall (open space rear of) | Larkswood Road, Chingford | 0.35 |
| Methodist Church | Handsworth Avenue/Church Avenue, Highams Park | 0.15 |
| All Saints Church (open space fronting) | Corner Castle Avenue/Church Avenue, Highams Park | 0.14 |
| St. Peters in the Forest | Woodford New Road, Walthamstow | |
| St. Mary's Church | Goldsmith Road, Leyton | 0.81 |
| Greek Orthodox Church (open space fronting) | Ruckholt Road, Leyton | 0.12 |
| St. John's Church | Church Lane/Leytonstone High Road, Leytonstone | 1.55 |
| St. Patricks Cemetery | Langthorne Road, Leytonstone | 23.08 |
| Monoux Almshouses (Graveyard fronting) | Vinegar Lane, Walthamstow | 1.08 |
| St. Mary's Church (Graveyard rear of) | Church End, Walthamstow | 1.34 |
| Queens Road Cemetery | Queens Road, Walthamstow | 10.49 |
| New Muslim Burial Ground | Off Folly Lane, Walthamstow | 3.3 |
| St. Michaels and All Angels Church (open space fronting) | Northcote Road, Walthamstow | 0.22 |
London Ecology Unit have identified St Patrick's Cemetery, St Mary's Walthamstow and St Mary's Leyton as Sites of Local Importance for Nature Conservation. The latter two have current management plans and active local support groups undertaking maintenance works.
Of all the churchyards and cemeteries in Waltham Forest, St Patrick's RC, Chingford Mount, Queens Road are currently open for burials, the latter two sites are maintained by the Local Authority as are a number of Closed Burial grounds. On becoming full, maintenance (but not ownership) of many Church of England burial grounds devolves to the Local Authority. Consequently, the Local Authority must defer to the Church in matters of management.
London is now close to exhausting its supply of burial space. Consequently, new legislation to allow re-use of graves is likely. A few new cemeteries are proposed and new-style 'woodland burials' are beginning to take place, although not yet within Waltham Forest.
Biological Status
The variety of habitats represented in burial grounds results in a wide variety of plants and animals being able to flourish. Within churchyards in the borough, particularly in areas of restricted mowing, fine grasses have been identified as well as a wide variety of flowering plants including cow parsley (Anthiscus sylvestris), buttercups (Ranunculus spp.), wood avens (Geum urbanum), herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), meadow foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis), ox-eye daisy (Chrysanthemum vulgare), self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), cat's ear (Hypochoeris radicata) and agrimony (Agromonia Eupatoria). This environment can support ferns and lichens, harts-tongue fern and lichens uncommon in London such as (Thelocarpon pallidium), and (Bacidia arnoldiana) have been recorded in churchyards in the borough.
Associated birds include song thrush (a London wide flagship species), green woodpecker, and tawny owl. Skylarks are believed to breed in Chingford Mount Cemetery. Of the mammals, Pipistrelle bats are frequent visitors as are hedgehogs. Ponds in Chingford Mount Cemetery contain great reed mace (Typha latifolia), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus) and water mint (Mentha aquatica) as well as frogs, toads and the more common dragonflies. A recent invertebrate survey of St Mary's Leyton (D. Hackett 2000) recorded a number of species thought to be unique to the site including several bug (e.g. Deraeocoris flavilinea), wasp (e.g. Pemphredon lethifer), hoverfly (e.g. Parhelophilus versicolor), and bee species (e.g. Lasioglossum smeathmanellum); along with holly blue butterfly (Celastrina argiolus) and comma butterfly larva (Polygonia c-album).
Current Factors Affecting the Habitat
Lack of Resources
Evidence given to the recent Select Committee on Cemeteries implied that cemeteries are widely believed to be the 'Cinderella' service of local government. It also highlighted that cemeteries are not currently a priority category under any National Lottery funding schemes.
Resource constraints may hinder the ability to manage for nature conservation. Conversely, the Cemetery Research Group in York suggests that diversity of choice for the bereaved is increasingly being acknowledged as good practice, for example, the Institute of Burial and Cremation Administration (IBCA) produced a 'Charter for the Bereaved'. New, 'wildlife-friendly' practices are appearing such as 'green burial' and, in one cemetery run by a charitable trust, the Scandinavian practice of creating more private 'rooms' within the cemetery bordered by hedges. Some managers may therefore be interested in making biodiversity enhancements, particularly if suitable training is provided. Best Value may also offer an opportunity to advocate more sustainable management.
Shortage of burial space
Shortage of burial space has led to practices such as squeezing new graves between old ones or onto road and path verges, and mounding soil on top of old plots to allow new burials to take place. This could have adverse effects on the nature conservation value of the site. Within Waltham Forest the need for more land for burial is putting pressure on some wooded areas within cemeteries resulting in the loss of secondary woodland. A possible solution is to re-use graves a certain period after the last burial, for example 75 or 100 years. Such a proposal would require a management plan to safeguard areas of historic and biodiversity interest.
The shortage of burial space in London means visitors may have to travel long distances to visit grave plots and the personal link between a community and its local burial site is lost.
Management
A general preference for neatness and order in the urban landscape, or even restoration of an original cemetery landscape design, can make management for biodiversity unwelcome. For example, research has shown that whilst many regular visitors to cemeteries value the peaceful and private qualities of cemeteries partly supplied by nature, they do not want to wade through long grass to reach graves. Unchecked growth of vegetation on monuments can cause severe physical damage. Conversely repairs and renovation of church buildings, roofs and walls or cleaning gravestones and memorials can damage lichen and fern communities.
Within Waltham Forest cemeteries the widespread use of herbicides produces a visually unappealing landscape. The lack of appropriate management regimes is detrimental to biodiversity.
A compromise is required to balance wildlife use, maintenance of built heritage and respect for the dead. With careful thought and consultation biodiversity improvements can be made by taking into account the needs and demands of users.
Development pressure
Existing legislation relating to cemeteries and dating back to 1847 allows private cemeteries to be sold for development. Under the Local Authorities' Cemeteries Order 1977, grave monuments in municipal cemeteries, unless listed by the Secretary of State, may have no legal protection against removal and destruction. This has allowed clearances of older sections of cemeteries, destroying both historic and nature conservation interest.
Multiple Uses of Cemeteries and Churchyards
Many of Waltham Forest's churchyards are no longer used for burials and now have a number of other roles. Some are used more as traditional parks; many attract tourists and family history researchers. Some sites contain valuable heritage features and monuments.
Churchyards by their secluded nature provide cover for anti-social behaviour that possibly restricts the use of the site by some other groups and may impact onto the management of the churchyard through an increased demand for clearance work. The needs and demands of all these users need to be taken into account whilst trying to improve the site for biodiversity.
Current Action
Legal status
Generally, churchyards & churches together are the subject of jurisdiction of the Bishop, exercised by the Chancellor in the Consistory Court. No alterations may be undertaken without a faculty from the court. Waltham Forest is within the diocese of Essex, permission to undertake works must be sought from the diocese in Chelmsford.
The responsibility for maintaining churchyards in good condition rests on the Parochial Church Council for the parish, except where the burial ground has been closed by Order in Council and the obligation passed to the local authority to maintain the area as public open space. Parochial Church Councils require a faculty from the court before carrying out works.
Churches in use are also affected by secular planning control and subject to planning control in the same way as other buildings. Churches, monuments or other structures may be protected using planning legislation; buildings or other structures can be 'listed', trees and hedges covered by Preservation Orders, sites included in Conservation Areas, scheduled as an ancient monument, or designated as an archaeological area. Further protection may be offered through Local Nature Reserve Declaration; and through policies in the boroughs UDP.
National Action
The House of Commons select committee cemeteries report (2001) made a number of recommendations relating to nature conservation. In brief, these were that cemetery managers should evaluate the biodiversity potential of their cemeteries and manage accordingly, that the Living Churchyard and Cemetery Project should continue, and that English Heritage and English Nature should develop special assessment procedures; guidance from the latter is expected in 2002.
A number of other government initiatives may assist with biodiversity conservation of cemeteries. For example, the Audit Commission is reviewing performance indicators, the Home Office has committed to researching basic statistics on the nation's cemeteries, English Heritage is engaged in a Cemeteries Review project, and a new government advisory group is being formed to disseminate guidelines on training and management plans for cemeteries.
London Wildlife Trust has run awareness campaigns to promote churchyards and cemeteries for biodiversity.
The Bat Conservation Trust ran 'Bats in Churches' project.
Local action
Local community groups have been undertaking conservation work in St. John's Leytonstone, St. Mary's Walthamstow and St. Mary's Leyton, projects have included wildflower planting and shrub clearance work.
The Open Spaces Focus Group has been campaigning for a reduction in herbicide use within the boroughs churchyards and cemeteries.
Many churches have assistance from members of the community to help maintain churchyards.
Professional organisations
Cemetery managers and other cemetery-related professions might belong to a number of organisations, many of which are sympathetic to nature conservation management objectives. A diversity of choice for the bereaved is increasingly being acknowledged as good practice by many of the institutions.
Key Species
Plants - wall ferns (Aspleniaceae), lichens (eg Calaplaca decipiens), yew
Birds - tawny owl, mistle thrush, song thrush
Mammals - bats
Invertebrates - holly blue butterfly (Celastrina argiolus)
Objectives, Actions and Targets
| Action | Target Date | Lead | Other Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establish a procedure for assessing wildlife importance of all burial grounds | 2003 | WFBAPP | GLA |
| Survey 33% of all burial grounds each year for three years to establish a baseline of wildlife value of burial grounds | By 2007 | OSFG | Tree Wardens |
| Promote surveying and monitoring of churchyards by regular visitors, the information provided can become part of a mechanism for monitoring the implementation of management plans | 2004 | WFBAPP | Visitors |
| Establish agreed management plans for the boroughs three large cemeteries, Chingford Mount, Queens Road and St Patrick's RC | 2005 | NC/TPO | OSFG |
| Investigate sources of funding for churchyard conservation - borough wide lottery or NOF bid | 2004 | NC/TPO |
| Action | Target Date | Lead | Other Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improve the wildlife value of the boroughs churchyards and cemeteries by increasing the deadwood habitat and introducing more nectar plants within formal bedding areas. | 2003 | Burial Ground Managers | Greenspace NC/TPO |
| Action | Target Date | Lead | Other Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seek resources so that the widespread use of herbicides within burial grounds in Waltham Forest can be replaced with more sustainable maintenance practices | 2003 |
Greenspace | OSFG WFBAPP |
| TPO all important trees or groups of trees in churches and cemeteries | 2004 | LBWF | |
| Protect burial grounds as important wildlife habitats by incorporating them into the UDP and nature conservation strategies | 2002 | LBWF | |
| Identify suitable sites for designation as Sites of Local Conservation Importance | 2003 | LBWF |
| Action | Target Date | Lead | Other Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Produce mini leaflet version of plan so that visitors are aware of the management regime to be available at each churchyard | 2004 | WFBAPP | Church |
| Make greater use of church notice boards to promote conservation projects within burial grounds | 2003 | LBWF | Church groups |
| Initiate dialogue with every churchyard manager - All to receive plan and offer an advisory service | 2003 | WFBAPP | |
| Ensure churchyard managers are aware of their responsibilities regarding protected species | 2003 | LBWF | |
| Where appropriate encourage burial ground managers to erect interpretation boards | 2004 | LBWF | |
| Undertake at least one biodiversity/wildlife related walk within churchyards and cemeteries per year | Ongoing | ||
| Put HAP on website | 2003 | LBWF |
