‘Churchyards and cemeteries are scenes not only calculated to improve the morals and the taste, and by their botanical riches to cultivate the intellect but they serve as historical records.’

J.C. Loudon – On the Laying Out, Planting and Managing of Cemeteries and on the Improvement of Churchyards 1843

I wonder how many times you’ve walked past this notice without reading it.

The sign displays some important information about the status of the cemetery as a Local Nature Reserve and outlines some dos and don’ts.

During Covid we all came to recognise the importance of nature and green spaces to both our physical and mental well-being. (Well, some of us knew this already). In lock-down, when we were only allowed a limited amount of time outdoors, everyone went in search of beautiful places to walk and suddenly people discovered cemeteries (well, some of us had already).

Is there a conflict between respecting an historic burial ground and creating a Local Nature Area?

Mr Loudon had something to say about the continued function of burial grounds.

‘All burial grounds whatever within the precincts of towns, when once filled, that is, when the whole ground has been buried in, even if with only one body in a grave, should be shut up as burygrounds, and a few years afterwards opened as public walks or gardens …’

Many local residents gain a great deal of pleasure from walking through the cemetery, especially, as we have mentioned, during the difficult two to three years we have all experienced. A small team of volunteers at Radnor Street Cemetery preserve and promote the stories of those buried in the cemetery while our gardening volunteers maintain the Commonwealth War Graves (and others with a military reference) as well as helping people find family graves, so I think we pretty much have it covered!

The cemetery will feature in the South Swindon in Bloom 2023 event, so please keep checking the South Swindon Parish Council website for updates and information on how to get involved.