Friends of St John's Churchyard - our story

By the new millennium the churchyard was in a sorry state of disrepair. Inaccessible and invaded by Japanese knotweed, brambles and rhododendrons, most of the headstones were no longer visible and vandalism had become a serious problem.
By 2005 the situation seemed hopeless but a group of enthusiastic volunteers and interested parties from the community took action and set up the Friends of St John’s Churchyard as a registered charity dedicated to its restoration.
A ten year plan was formulated starting with a programme of knotweed spraying followed by the removal of shrubs, surveying of headstones, the removal of kerbstones, extensive groundworks and re-seeding with low maintenance grasses.
In 2013 a Remembrance Garden was created for the interment of cremated remains.

Our aim is to re-create a tranquil space for reflection and a valuable educational resource for the wider community where...
- Family and friends can access graves easily
- Those interested in local history can research their family trees in a pleasant, accessible environment*
- Natural habitats can flourish - People from the local community can become involved and use their skills
- Everyone can learn more about the impact of the Industrial Revolution, discover some of ‘the stories behind the stones’ or just simply appreciate the lovely views!