CAPTION: St Andrew's churchyard in Ashburton was praised for being a green oasis in the centre of the town (Photo: Cassie Long)

Celebrating Devon’s Best Churchyards as Places of Spirituality, Wildlife and Wonder

Posted: 15th October, 2021

A Devon churchyard which has been transformed by a group of volunteers into a wildlife haven with trails for children and seating areas for quiet reflection has won this year’s Devon’s Best Churchyard award.

The award was given to St Andrew’s, Ashburton, by the Devon Campaign to Protect Rural England (Devon CPRE).

St Peter’s Burial Ground in Budleigh Salterton (East Devon) was runner-up.

Three churchyards were Highly Commended: St Swithuns in Shobrooke (Mid Devon), St Swithuns in Woodbury (East Devon) and St Mary’s in Buckland Filleigh (Torridge). All Saints Church in East Budleigh, previously a winner and a runner-up, received a Certificate of Excellence.

Holy Trinity, in Buckfastleigh, received a Certificate as Most Improved Churchyard.

This is the competition’s fourth year and there were more entries than ever before.

Devon CPRE’s judges travelled the length and breadth of the county to visit every entry and were impressed by the standards and originality of the work being carried out in churchyards by teams of volunteers.

Head judge and CPRE Trustee Ivan Buxton said: “Ashburton stood out this year. It’s amazing what they’ve done, and it was evident how hard everyone has worked.

“Arriving here, we were pleasantly surprised by the ingenuity and innovation employed to embrace the challenges posed by the pandemic and provide facilities for adults and children alike.

“There’s more being done for wildlife, for the environment and for people. Sometimes, it’s just simple things like a new welcome sign, bird boxes or a drinking bowl for dogs, but it makes all the difference.” Penny Mills, Devon CPRE

Ashburton had taken the use of QR codes to a new and inventive level, with speciality trails and gentle challenges to encourage children and the young at heart to hop or jump around the perimeter of the church building. That was a lovely touch.”

The teams from Ashburton, Budleigh Salterton and the three Highly Commended churches were presented with oak plaques to mark their achievements. The winning churchyard also received £200, which Ashburton has said it intends to spend on seeds and bulbs.

Receiving the award on behalf of St Andrews, Volunteer Churchyard Coordinator Geoffrey Histed, a retired modern languages teacher, said, “We’re delighted and it’s a tribute to a huge amount of hard work and teamwork by the volunteers.

“I was completely overwhelmed by the fact that we had won.

“We’ve got the biggest and the best green space in Ashburton and we want to share it with the church and the town. We wanted it to be a joint project between the two. That’s exactly what’s happened and that, in itself, is as big a success as receiving this wonderful plaque that we’re going to put up with pride somewhere.”

“Our Churchyards are incredible resources, not only places of quiet reflection, prayer and remembrance, but also places to discover, explore and wonder.” Archdeacon of Exeter

Mark Rylands, Ashburton’s Team Rector and Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Exeter, said, “It’s just amazing. Two and a half years ago, Geoff and I had a chat about what this churchyard could be – an oasis, God’s Acre, we talked about a space where people could come and unwind and unfurl. He has galvanised so many people. We couldn’t believe we’d won.”

Following their visit, the judges wrote in their report: Throughout the churchyard are thoughtful touches, well-planned to stimulate interest in the surroundings. They give a sense of place that invites sharing and caring and combine to provide a green oasis in the centre of this ancient town.

The main aims of the Best Churchyard competition are to encourage the use and upkeep of churchyards so that they are welcoming to people and wildlife-friendly.

During the pandemic, Devon’s residents have appreciated the green spaces around their churches like never before. In some places, they have been the only public space for people to exercise and be at one with nature during Lockdown.

Larry Sampson, Sexton at St Peter’s in Budleigh, said, “We’re very, very pleased to be the Runner-up. One of the pleasures of working here is that you do get compliments from people who come to visit loved ones, equally we have many people who don’t have loved ones laid to rest here and they come because it is just such a lovely tranquil place to be.”

Devon CPRE Director Penny Mills says it’s heartening to see how churchyards have responded in the four years the competition has been running: “We’ve noticed how churchyards have taken on some of the comments that we’ve made in previous years and it’s fantastic to see.

“There’s more being done for wildlife, for the environment and for people. Sometimes, it’s just simple things like a new welcome sign, bird boxes or a drinking bowl for dogs, but it makes all the difference.”

The Venerable Andrew Beane, Archdeacon of Exeter, who presented one of the awards, said “I am so grateful to Devon CPRE and their brilliant Churchyard Competition encouraging churches to manage and more importantly develop their churchyard.

“Our Churchyards are incredible resources, not only places of quiet reflection, prayer and remembrance, but also places to discover, explore and wonder.

“I hope the competition inspires churches to think how they might encourage people to discover their local churchyard perhaps through trails, activities for families, or welcoming signs.

“I hope it will encourage our PCCs to think careful how they might explore the wider use of the churchyard and how it can become a community space or wildlife sanctuary.

“Most of all I hope it opens opportunities for people to just enter these wonderful spiritual places and wonder.”

You can find out more about how to enter Devon Best Churchyard here.