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.
Enormous churchyard nearly all mown by sit-on mower (no grass box!)... except my patch!!! Near the east kissing gate, my patch measures 22 by 30 paces. It has never had sheep or chemicals, is in its fourth year of care according to the guidelines recommended by Caring For God's Acre and with help and advice from nearby St John's Sharow, Ripon, and you will find over 30 varieties of wildflower - as identified with the help of local botanists. So no mow from April, identify (and quantify) the flowers, add observations to Beautiful Burial Grounds Project, scythe in June/July and remove cuttings, noticeboards explaining what is happening, meet and involve visitors. Nest boxes, a big bug hotel, lichens on headstones.  Several mammals, amphibians live here and many birds visit! Bug count starting.
Our new Vicar came to look at my patch and said "Why isn't all the churchyard like this?".   More volunteers welcome!
- Famous/infamous people's memorials
- Fascinating monuments
- Good accessibility
- Interpretation boards
- Lichen haven
- Peaceful space for quiet reflection
- Stones with stories
- Sundial
- War memorial
- Wild flower Areas in spring/summer
- Wildlife haven
Open 24 hours. Firm paths, wheelchair friendly, benches with and without arm rests, just inside Church - there's a map of headstones with alphabetic index on surname with map coordinates.
Church open about 9am until 5pm.
Buses to Masham
https://northyorkstravel.info/place/masham/
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.Â
