Thornthwaite: 18-10-2022

This week the NCVs were parachuted into St. Saviour's church, Thornthwaite. Apparently this was the latest churchyard needing some work doing to 'enhance its conservation value'. 

Last time the NCVs were there (for their coffee break on their summer walk) it all looked very well kempt, so it was clearly going to be an easy day. Or was it? Let's see shall we?

 

Well that looks tidy - will this be fine as it is? 

No - the rhodie has to go!!

So - Phil started taking out the offending rhodie

 and slowly a grave began to appear.

With Ros E's help a large amount of vegetation was 

removed and a second tomb appeared.

Dave gave the first fully visible tomb 

a dusting - much better!!

He also did a good job of removing 

some encroaching ivy from this tomb.

Now - what about this area Liz?

Yes - that crown needs lifting. 

We need to see what lies beneath.

Tom, Dave and Sarah took charge here - holly and yew

all needed pruning back.

Wow! Look what we found!!

Unfortunately this one is a little above our pay grade.

This ages the tree very nicely to around 130 years (a youngster for a yew).

It wouldn't have been here when the gravestone was set in place. 

Rachel, Anita and Ros were tasked with 

lifting the crowns of this cypress and yew. 

Once again, gravestones were revealed.

The space created provided somewhere 

to put some of the brash.

Now - where else are we going to get rid of this lot?

What about under this cypress? Of course - a crown would need lifting first!

That's better. Plenty of space for brash under here and all nicely tucked away.

When the call went out for 'nice straight pieces of brash' (rhodies and holly are notoriously bendy) the NCVs were struggling to find any.

Lunch and coffee times were much appreciated. 

So much for this being an easy day!!  

As the afternoon wore on it was clear that we weren't going to manage to clear all the brash into habitat piles. There was FAR too much! 

Right folks - all hands to the pump let's just carry it all over to the hedge as an interim measure to keep the churchyard tidy until our next visit.

That's it Phil - give it a rake and no-one will know what's been going on!!

The entrance to the church as it looked in the 1970s.

Days from a bygone age no. 3

Now which NCV is being featured this week? Someone who is taking her cat to the laundry perhaps? Take a guess and check next week's blog to see if you were right.