Churchyard Maintenance

Churchyard Maintenance Update 13/02/2026  - And we're back for another season!

All three 'synoptic gospels' Mark, Matthew and Luke all quote Isaiah "A voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him." (Isaiah 40:3-5). Well, we've attempted to make the way a bit straighter, and wider, and a little less slippery for you. Thanks to John 'it started first time' Beamish for the wielding of the hedge trimmer on the holly!

If you've regularly walked to church along the outside public footpath you may have had to dodge around the ivy clumps and 2 collapsing concrete fenceposts.

Good news! They're all gone!!!  All hedging etc now should not exceed the bottom of the sloped paving slabs.

Both the ride-on and the 'little' mower have now been taken away for servicing and repair.  Fortunately neither of the repairs will be disasterous and this year the mowing will be a lot easier on both mowers!

There's a little photo album of some of the early spring flowers in the churchyard here: 

Photos - St Peters Church Carlton Colville with St Andrews Mutford

Mark and John

Information:

We were a very small informal team of helpers who did our best to maintain the churchyard, and really will need more volunteers in 2026.  Because some of us work, and some of us are retired, we don't, at present, have any formal time of meeting.  We just put ourselves to work when we can find the time, whether that's during the week or at weekends.

We are managing (not leaving!, there's a correction here) some areas of the churchyard 'wild' for nature.  In the most this is on the edges and around older, untended graves. But if you do tend a grave and it's 'in the wilderness' and you rather it wasn't then do let us know.

We have a fairly extensive set of tools at our disposal, with 3 petrol mowers, a couple of strimmers (little and large) and a good selection of hand tools.

If you would like to help us then please do contact Mark (About Us) and we can arrange a time convenient to you to meet up and 'do some work' for however long you've got!

If you do tend any grave or cremation memorial stone then please do remove any old flowers/plants etc as the season progresses.  Likewise if you are leaving cut flowers then do not leave them in plastic wrapping.  We are trying to do our part for the enviroment and plastic waste is high in the media interest at the moment! The green bin in the car park area is for general church/churchyard waste (despite it's colour).

Many thanks for reading.

Mark and the churchyard maintenance team.

Updated: 20260213