St. Andrew’s Churchyard: the Millennium Project
In 1997 it was decided that the millennium project for CHIS would be to rescue the site from neglect and to make it somewhere that anyone of any age can enjoy. The graveyards were badly overgrown and working parties, including pupils from local schools, spent hours clearing self-seeded trees and scrub and removing brambles, to discover what had been hidden. £20,000 was raised from local subscription and some fund-raising events. A set of gates was added at the Fosseway end to improve access and safety. In the summer and autumn of 2005 local volunteers (including students) prepared and repainted all the railings.
Trees, shrubs and bulbs have been planted. With the clearance letting in more light the native primroses and other species spread rapidly.
CHIS had made and replaced one of the unusual ‘barley sugar stick’ bollards that had been stolen from the Fosseway end of the Lime Walk.
We are trying to set up a Friends of St Andrew’s group who would meet perhaps twice a year to keep up the clearance work. For information about this and general information about the site please contact RoseMary Musgrave (r.musgrave10@gmail.com)