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The churchyard extension at St Peter's is gradually taking shape, though work is still very much “in progress”. In case you have been wondering what the final look will be, here is an update of the plans.
The slope between the higher and lower churchyards is being thoroughly treated with weed killer, which is why it is still looking rather brown and sad. A thorough job has to be done, though, to make it ready for planting up in the autumn with a variety of shrubs which will be ground-hugging, to keep the slope where it ought to be, and which will also have been chosen to give colour all year round.
The grass is kept long in the main churchyard till well into the summer, in order to protect the flowers for which we are famous - the spring snowdrops, followed by the daffodils, buttercups and the glorious large white daisies. As the summer progresses, so the grass is progressively cut. As you go on past the church towards the new double gates, you will see a bench to your right, This area is going to be developed into a small "garden" area, with shrubs around the bench, and the bench has been given by the family of John and Vi Thomas in their memory. John was head teacher of Benington school for many years.
Opposite that area you will see the yew tree and the ivy-clad shed. The Shed is going, and a new one
has been bought which will be located further round the church, on the north side. That will enable
us to clear the area to the left of the double-gated entrance to the churchyard extension and make it
more attractive.
Once you are inside the new churchyard, you are on quite a steeply sloping gravel path. To the left is
a bank, currently well dug over and lined along the path with large flints. This stretch of bank, from
the double gates to the corner near the Chestnut tree is set aside for the burial of cremated remains.
It is going to be grassed and, because the soil there is of such hard and poor quality, we will be
removing some of it and replacing it with good top soil. This will then be grassed over to make it
easier to keep neat and tidy. The new churchyard regulations which have just been published by the
diocese, state that in any new area set aside for the burial of ashes, we are now permitted to have
flat, stone plaques to record the names of those buried there. So there is an application currently
with the diocese for permission to use 10" x 8" plaques of a light nambresina limestone. This wears
well and is easy to clean. The plan is for several plots to be grouped together, with some shrubs
between groupings so that it doesn't look too formal. Where the grassed bank area ends, near to the
Chestnut tree, the shrubs will begin, planted along the rest of the bank below the old churchyard.
As you walk down the pathway towards the Chestnut tree, you will notice that a new hedge has been
planted along the right-hand boundary of the churchyard extension. There are plans to plant a spinney
beyond this, which will have an entry point from the new churchyard, where ashes may be scattered in
unconsecrated ground if people so wish.
Following the path around the sloping side back towards the tap, you come back to the road and some
new steps up to the old churchyard. East Herts District Council have given permission for a new gate
to be put in by the road next to the lay-by. This will in fact be a double gate, 4 feet wide in all,
mirroring the design of the gates at the lych gate entrance. They are kindly being given by Mark
Titcomb, in memory of Diana. At 4 foot wide, fully open, they will be just wide enough to admit a
mini-digger, and hopefully narrow enough to keep out cars. It will also, of course, be a very handy
entry point for pedestrians.
Donations have been made for benches in the churchyard, and two are already in the extension, one given in memory of Ethel May Deas, and the other in memory of Canon Davies, who was Rector from 1962-1971, and his wife. There are also plans to put a circular bench around the Chestnut tree. It seems a good use of that space in which nothing much will grow, and which certainly can't be used for burials.
In the longer term there are plans to revitalize the hedge along the road at the South side of the
churchyard extension. There will be some topping of the tallest growth, digging out of the dead wood,
and infilling with native species such as Quickthorn and Hawthorn to thicken it up.
All this will take time to develop, but I hope you will be pleased as it gradually takes shape and
enjoy seeing it come to life.
If you have any thoughts or suggestions for planting or anything else, do get in touch with me.
The development of the churchyard extension is costing about £4000, and its annual maintenance cost is
estimated to be in the region of £2500. The Parish Council has kindly agreed to pay the whole of the
development cost, and will be contributing £1000 per annum towards maintenance costs. The rest is up to
us to find!
Revd Becky Totterdell.