We are compiling this directory of flowery burial grounds from across the UK, which we would recommend visiting if you are looking for a well managed site rich in wildlife and heritage. Burial grounds can have a rich array of plants, animals and fungi, and may contain the only surviving area of flower-rich grassland in a parish. All the sites listed here contain this habitat. To see the flowers at their best, late May to mid or end of July is usually the most suitable time to visit. However, do contact the site managers for more specific timings before you visit if this is important to you.
About this churchyard
The churchyard is managed to allow wildflowers and wildlife to thrive, while preventing the graves from becoming overgrown. Despite this being a difficult balance to reach the churchyard appears to be flourishing with 70 species of higher plants being recorded in 2014. The grass is cut twice a year and as much of the cut grass as possible is raked and removed, to encourage the growth of other plants.
Surveys of lichens have been performed by the British Lichen Society in 1992 and in 2015 as part of a nationwide churchyard survey. These surveys have shown more than 100 species in St. Tudno’s churchyard.
Birds most frequently seen in the churchyard are jackdaws, which often gather in the churchyard at dusk, and herring gulls. However during 2015 a pair of swallows nested under the eaves of the church and successfully raised three chicks and the birds could be seen hunting insects above the churchyard. Other birds bring seafood meals from the shore to eat in the churchyard and while limpet shells are the most common remains, crab shells and fish bones have also been seen. The suspected culprits are crows but while the shells build up we have not yet spotted the birds which bring them. More unusual birds which have been reported include firecrests in the black pine trees.
Nests of buff tail bumblebees have been found in the churchyard but these can be hard to spot as the bees nest in holes in the ground and the only sign may be bees going in and out of the nest entrance. Nests of the yellow meadow ant are easily seen as large, grass covered mounds and the plants growing on the mounds may be different from those in the surrounding area. In the early morning, in particular, rabbits may be seen scampering about the churchyard and the Great Orme goats visit the churchyard from time to time.
In the churchyard there is a memorial to local men who died in the South African (“Boer”) War and some other interesting graves are mentioned in the churchyard tour, for which leaflets are available in the church and the lych-gate.
The Friends of St. Tudno’s Church have been awarded a Community Green Flag for the churchyard.
There are two churchyard tours, one aimed at children, available in the church and lych-gate.
- Great for fungi
- Lychgate
- Peaceful space for quiet reflection
- Stones with stories
- Wild flower Areas in spring/summer
There are steps up into the churchyard from the parking area below the church. However, there is a smooth path down from the lych gate above the church and room for one car to pull over.
There are several benches in the churchyard.
It is possible to get the bus or the tram to the halfway station, a 10 mins walk from the burial ground.
See the Arriva bus website at https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/
The map below will take a few seconds to load. You can search for a burial ground either by county, or by the name of the burial ground, or by clicking the markers on the map.
Add your burial ground.
If you would like to nominate a flowery burial ground that you manage for inclusion in our directory, please complete the form here. We will review all submissions before inclusion in the directory, so please understand you won’t see your burial ground immediately.
