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Creative Writers Sought to Remember Birmingham’s Poor

The memorials you see as you walk around burial sites are often erected by those that could afford them. This is the case in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, where visitors to Key Hill cemetery can see memorials to non-conformists such as Harriet Martineau, Joseph Chamberlain and Alfred Bird (inventor of Bird’s custard). The vast majority of those buried here, however, are in public […]

Our Digital Ancestors: Tales from Warstone Lane Cemetery

After 5 years of hard work by Caring for God’s Acre volunteers, photos and inscriptions for nearly every memorial in Warstone Lane Cemetery Birmingham have been added to the interactive map created by AG Intl, so now the public portal can go live for everyone to explore! This map will be a wonderful resource for genealogists, local historians and cemetery volunteers. Celebrate the success of the project and learn some of the tales uncovered along the way. The speakers are Dr Josie Wall and Dr Rachel Askew, both from Caring for God’s Acre Our Digital Ancestors project.

Our Digital Ancestors Goes North!

The Our Digital Ancestors team has just returned from an exciting trip to Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne to look at some of the great work that’s taking place there. First up was Durham University, where we gave a talk to undergraduates on the Cemeteries and Communities course about our work.

Identifying Deciduous Trees in Winter

When the leaves fall and trees stand bare against the winter sky, identifying them might seem like a challenge. But it’s actually one of the most rewarding times to really get to know our churchyard trees. Clues can be found by looking up at the overall shape and the form of the branches, the buds […]

Fungi Walk at Longden Rd cemetery

Over two weeks in October we ran 3 fungi walks in Longden Road Victorian Cemetery. With so many walks covering the same ground there was concern that we would run out of fungi to discover, but autumn had other ideas….. We started the walk with a recommendation to use all of our senses when trying […]

Duetting Owls

The Tawny Owl is probably our most familiar owl with children growing up learning that tawny owls say ‘tu-wit-tu-woo’. This is not actually the call of one bird but a duet between male and female. The female starts with the harsh ‘kee-vik’ which is then followed by the male with the deeper ‘woo-hoooo’.  As with […]

Is that a ballerina in your churchyard, or is it a parrot?

By Gary Easton, member of Devon Fungus Group and BMS Fungal Education and Outreach Committee As you’re reading this blog for UK Fungus Day on 4th October 2025, I’m sure you’ve already realised that Ballerinas and Parrots are common names for fungi.  They are in a group known as the Waxcaps, because of their appearance […]

LOOKING FOR SLOW-WORMS & OTHER REPTILES OR AMPHIBIANS

Churchyards, chapel yards and cemeteries can be great places for both reptiles, such as snakes and lizards, and amphibians such as frogs, toads and newts. You may see lizards basking in the sun on walls or monuments or perhaps a frog or toad hunting in a cool, damp corner or rotting wood pile. To find […]

A Parliament of Rooks  

If you are feeling in need of an uplifting sign of spring then take a visit to your nearest rookery. Although most bird species start to display, build nests and lay eggs in March, April or May, rooks and other members of the Corvid family are well underway by February with some starting in January. […]

Article on Caring for God’s Acre in the Guardian Christmas 2024

Over Christmas we were delighted that the Guardian printed an article about the value of churchyards as “vital havens for rare wildlife including dormice, bats and beetles”. The article, by environment reporter Helena Horton, focused on Caring for God’s Acre’s partnerships with the National Biodiversity Network and many other conservation organisations. As well as specialist […]

Ivy and Churchyard Yew Trees

Churchyards have been termed a Noah’s Ark for old, veteran and ancient yews. A valuable refuge that over the years have provided a sanctuary for this historic and culturally significant tree. But there could be a threat to their long-term survival: ivy. The biodiversity value that ivy in trees provides to all sorts of wildlife […]