St Martin of Tours Graveyard - Chelsfield, Kent, UK - Churchyard Cemeteries on Waymarking.com

The church's website tells us about the graveyard:

Many family members have been buried in the churchyard over the past 900 years. Our burial records go back to the 16th century, details of burial locations are recorded from 1813 (although this record is not complete). Most burials did not have burial markers or stones, the earliest stones surviving are from the late 18th century. In the 1940's a landmine exploded close to the church, flattened and destroyed a large number of gravestones. Some of the existing stones were placed along the North Wall of the churchyard, others are laying flat under the ground. During the summer the nettles, long grass and wild flowers take over sections of the churchyard, this attracts a great variety of wild life but can make access to the older graves very difficult. Great care should be taken that you do not fall if looking for graves.

A graveyard needs maintaining and this one is no exception. The church's website tells us:

Many people walk through the churchyard at St Martin’s and many take time to sit a while, it is a lovely place. We have many wild flowers, in the Spring there is a carpet of snowdrops and later there will be Ladies Smock and cowslips amongst many other things. There is too a lot of wild life, so always something to see or look for and many benches to rest a while.

BUT all of this takes a great deal of upkeep. It is a vast area and about to become even larger as we plan our new churchyard extension.

The people who have given so many years to keeping the place under control are getting a little older and new, younger help is needed.

We have someone who cuts the ‘wedding’ lawn but need other areas of grass cut. We also need one or two people to use the strimmers as parts of the churchyard will suddenly ‘run wild’ during the growing period.

People who tend the churchyard do need to strim with care to safe guard the flora and fauna that is enjoyed by walkers and visitors regardless of their religious leanings. We also need people to come along on special clearance days when a group work together to clear the tougher bits. At the moment many of the trees are being pruned and tended in order that they will continue to grow and remain healthy.

Many local people have already benefited from the free logs which will continue for a while yet.

The graveyard is now full with plans for an extension. The church's website tells us:

Our existing churchyard is now full. Plans and preparatory work, including site clearance and archaeological surveys are well underway, subject to obtaining final authorisation we hope the new Churchyard Extension will be available for use from late 2013.

Total costs for the initial project are expected to be in the order of £20k, half of that money has already been spent. The PCC has agreed that we launch an appeal for donations towards the Churchyard Extension. We are also proposing to re-launch the ‘100 club’ which we used to raise funds for the Brass Crosby Room.

If you would like to contribute to this appeal please send your donation to the Church Treasurer, Rector or Churchwardens.

Name of church or churchyard: St Martin of Tours Church Approximate Size: Large (100+)

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Date Logged Log User Rating   11/25/2020 OrientGeo visited it