CHURCHYARD
Holy Trinity churchyard is a beautiful yet hidden gem in the centre of Claygate, containing many wonderful treasures. Our vision is to share it with the wider Claygate community while continuing to respect the needs of those who come to remember loved ones interred here.
The churchyard is a place of peace, well-being and biodiversity where all can feel at home, whether you come to remember a loved one, take a quiet moment on a bench, walk the new route from Church Road to the Recreation Ground, or in different seasons simply enjoy the wildflowers and wildlife.
The churchyard has recently been upgraded and now includes:
- A new gate and pathway linking the Recreation Ground, Pavilion Cafe and Church Road
- Peace pockets with benches offering space to sit, reflect and enjoy the view
- A wildflower meadow with paths to wander through
- A new wildlife area with trees, shrubs and a shallow pond
- Enhancements to the Garden of Remembrance improving its privacy and beauty.
The churchyard is open, welcoming and waiting for you.
A short video outlining the results of the the churchyard project can be found here (coming soon!)
At Holy Trinity, we wish to share our churchyard with the community as a place of:
Welcoming – Our desire is that the church and churchyard would feel welcoming and inviting
Remembering – We believe it is vitally important to continue to offer a respectful and peaceful place of remembering for the relatives of loved ones interred in our churchyard
Peace and well-being – Our churchyard is a tranquil oasis of peace and calm, naturally lending itself to wellbeing for body, mind and spirit
Biodiversity – The churchyard, with its rich variety of flora and fauna, is a precious resource at a time when some of the local greenbelt is under threat. God has richly blessed us as a church and we need to cherish and nurture what He has gifted us.
The churchyard design was created by Selina Botham, Design for all Seasons and contructed by Gerald Abrahams, GA Landscapes.
Areas of Interest within our churchyard
ANGEL MEMORIAL
This beautiful angel memorial was created in memory of Mary Isabel Ambrose who died in 1922. It is one of many interesting memorials that are located within the churchyard.
Holy Trinity churchyard dates back to 1840 when the church was first built. The original churchyard was just the area immediately around the church building , but it was extended over the years to the size it now is.
If you would like to know more, a brief history of the churchyard can be found here.
OAK SCULPTURE
This wonderful oak sculpture is called ‘Praising Hands.’ It was created by a sculptor called Jonathan Hammond from an old tree trunk.
The two branches symbolise a pair of hands reaching upwards towards God. The brass plaque set beside the sculpture contains a verse of scripture, praising God:
“For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory for ever! Amen” Romans 11:36
GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE
This large stone plinth stands at the entrance to the Garden of Remembrance.
The lawn area was created in the 1960s as a special place for the interment of cremated remains and the plaques round the edges are memorials to those interred there.
The verse inscribed on the stone is a reminder of Jesus’ powerful words – “I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6
WAY MAKER POSTS
Standing beside the new pathway that links Church Road with the Recreation Ground are a series of eight oak way marker posts.
Each one contains a verse that reminds us that God is the ‘way’ and the ‘path’ to help us through our lives. ‘You make known to me the path of life.’ Psalm 16:11. A listing of all the verses can be found here
Each post also contains an image of a woodland creature. Can you spot them all?
ACCESSIBLE BENCH
The accessible bench at the end of the path is another creation by Jonathan Hammond. It is designed to incorporate a wheelchair within the frame of the bench, rather than having to be beside it.
This bench was funded by a trust that was set up in memory of Colin Wheatley, a long-time member of the church family at Holy Trinity, and reflects the deep concern he had to facilitate accessibility for all.
WAR GRAVES
The churchyard contains a few graves that remember those who died in the service of their country in the two world wars. These graves are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The War Memorial at the Church Road end of the churchyard honours all those who lived in Claygate and died during the First World War. A plaque on the wall behind the pulpit in church honours all those who died in the Second World War.
Further details of these graves can be found here.
FLORA AND FAUNA
The churchyard contains a huge variety of wildflowers and grasses. Our vision is to nurture and support this area by leaving large areas of the churchyard unmown during the growing season between May and September.
Other areas , including the section containing the more recent graves, will be kept short to encourage those plants who prefer this type of environment.
A list of all the different wildflowers to be found in the churchyard can be found here.
Photos of some of the flora and fauna can be found here.
WILDLIFE
The area adjacent to the entrance to the Recreation Ground has been designed to be a wildlife area that will look like the image above once it matures.
As well as trees, shrubs and flowers that will encourage wildlife, the area contains a pond which will hopefully attract some amphibious creatures. It also contains some bug hotels and wood piles to encourage insects and varieties of fungi and lichens.