WAY MAKER PROJECT
Our 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 and continue to respect the needs of those who come to remember loved ones interred here.
We want to create a peaceful space to encourage the wellbeing of body, mind and spirit, at the heart of the local community. We also want to develop a welcoming place for people to come and enjoy God’s creation, with a focus on sustainability, biodiversity and wildlife.
In essence, we wish to share our churchyard with the community, as a place of:
- Welcoming
- Remembering
- Peace and well-being
- Biodiversity
Sharing our Churchyard
As part of the plan to enhance our churchyard and share it more widely, we are proposing to:
1. Provide access through the churchyard to Claygate Recreation Ground
We would create a new path and install a secure gate (opening into the Rec next to the Pavilion Café). The gate will be locked overnight and monitored by security cameras.
2. Enhance the area around the war memorial
We would plant a flower bed and install a bench for wishing to pause to remember those who gave their lives for us.
3. Plant fruit trees in the area between the church and the village hall
This will provide opportunities for jam making in the autumn.
We want to create a place of…
WELCOMING
Our desire is for the church and the churchyard to feel welcoming and inviting. This will help draw in the local community, particularly to our mid-week activities, such as Connections, Trinity Tots and Mums, Bumps & Babies.
As well as opening access from the Recreation Ground into the churchyard, we would also like to improve access into the main church building. To this end we propose creating:
1. A new entrance into the church foyer from the churchyard
This would give people direct access to the foyer from the churchyard, without having to go around to the main entrance – making access easier for those with wheelchairs or buggies.
2. A new welcome area
Creating an inviting seating area and raised beds outside the new entrance would make the church more feel more welcoming.
View the design for the new entrance.
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.
We will be keeping more recent graves tidy and maintain access to graves that are regularly visited in the meadow areas.
To enhance the Garden of Remembrance, while maintaining a sense of respect and privacy, we plan on doing the following:
1. Planting a low yew hedge around the edge
This would help give a sense of privacy.
2. Installing a beautiful oak sculpture in the centre of the lawn
This would be inscribed with the following bible verse: “From him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory for ever.” – Romans 11:36
PEACE & WELL-BEING
Our churchyard is a tranquil oasis of peace and calm, naturally lending itself to wellbeing for body, mind and spirit. To create a more inviting space, we are looking at:
1. Installing strategically placed benches
These would provide ‘peace pockets’ with beautiful views across the churchyard and opportunities for quiet reflection. One bench would be specifically designed to enable wheelchair access.
2. Creating grass paths across the churchyard
These would enable people to walk across the meadow, with way marker posts inscribed with bible verses, helping foster a sense of being in a spiritual and sacred space.
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. To do so we propose:
1. Creating a meadow of wildflowers and bulbs
This would be planted throughout much of the churchyard to encourage biodiversity and offering an even richer habitat for wildlife.
2. Leaving things to grow during spring and summer
This would be cut back in the autumn, ready for new growth the following year.
3. Creating a wildlife area
We would transform the corner by the pavilion into a wildlife area, with new trees and shrubs, including a shallow pond to encourage as much biodiversity as possible.
Further Info
THE DESIGN
The proposed design has been developed by Selina Botham, who is both a church family member and an award-wining garden designer, trading as ‘Designs for all Seasons’.
Please click here to view the design plans and drawings. Click here to read an abridged version of the Detailed Design document.
Plans are also available for viewing in the church.
CONTACT
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact John Smith, Way Maker Project Manager by email: waymaker@htclaygate.org
IMPACTED GRAVE MEMORIALS
A few grave monuments or kerbstones in the older sections of the churchyard will need to be moved or removed to allow safe access along these paths. Further details are displayed in the church and on our website.
Information on the impacted graves can be found here.
RESPONSE FORM
If you would like to contribute to the project as it progresses, the response form below outlines various ways in which you could help.
