St. Michael’s Churchyard Project
To become more welcoming for wildlife and people.
The first stage was to make our churchyard safer by protecting the drop behind the church on the north side. This drop is several metres deep, and was guarded only by a small wall, low enough in places for an unwary person to step over. No more!
We were delighted to welcome group of 10 young volunteers, with their leaders, from Community@NE66. They spent a morning during Half Term planting a double row of about 100 hedge saplings – hawthorn, dogwood and holly – above the drop. They were well watered at the time, and the weather since has continued to keep them wet, so they should thrive and provide a pleasant barrier to keep visitors safe, and be welcoming to wildlife as well.
The next stage, weather permitting on Saturday 27th November*, is to welcome the volunteers back to plant several hundred wildflower bulbs. These have already been delivered, and we look forward to a colourful display of snowdrops, wild daffodils, aconites and English bluebells in the flat area above the slope. In time these should provide food for birds and insects, and contribute to the diversity of wildlife in our area.
*The bulb planting has had to be been postponed due to the poor weather which is forecast and the Arwen storm damage. Weather permitting, this is now due for Thursday morning 9th December from 10-12am.
For more information please contact Sue Allen (details in Gateway magazine).
February 2022 Snowdrops
Who lives here then ?    Snowdrops tunnel
The Churchyard Project March 2022 update :
New Life in the Churchyard.
and please look at the display board in church for updates on the progress.
Our thanks go to Northumbria Hedgehog Rescue for paying us a visit on 26th November 2021 and confirming that all was well.
25th April 2022 Cherry Trees in the churchyard. Eight new flowering Tai Haku cherry trees are now resplendent in the churchyard. Thanks to the Sakora project for gifting them, to Janet Pibworth of Alnwick Town Council for all her help, to the Diocese and the PCC for speedy permissions, and to the volunteers who dug the holes and planted the trees. Enjoy!
Loveliest of trees, the cherry now
Is hung with bloom along the bough,
And stands about the woodland ride
Wearing white for Eastertide
AE Housman, A Shropshire Lad
The fallen Yew at the entrance has new been removed and a pathway has been reinstated through the fallen Fir by the east wall.
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This is perhaps a reminder of the churchyard Boom tree which was brought down by a storm on Ash Wednesday in 1836:
The Boom Tree
For the young at heart – have a look at the fallen trees – can you tell how old they are ?
Fallen Trees
(Clues: The Fir, which was split off the main trunk, is a bit older than the Queen, the Yew could be around a quarter of a century older than that.)