The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
“Secateur Sessions” are being held at Spalding Cemetery to help keep the site tidy.
A few members of the Friends of Spalding Cemetery group have recently started meeting at the cemetery to work together in a practical way.
Coun Elizabeth Sneath, Heritage Champion at South Holland District Council, said: “We Friends volunteers are holding ‘Secateur Sessions’ to clear undergrowth and overgrown areas in the oldest part of this 27-acre site.
“Council cemetery staff will clear the piles of vegetation away.
“The Friends group is formed of like-minded people who want to help support this wonderful Victorian cemetery which was founded in 1854.
“We are working in the most ancient parts of the cemetery only and have uncovered some amazing and interesting gravestones in areas that have been overgrown and impassable for many years.”
Future plans for the group include photographing the oldest gravestones before they deteriorate any further and, later in the year, helping with a tree survey to map and photograph the many wonderful and rare trees on the site.
It is also hoped to run guided tree walks when life is more back to normal.
The Friends are still planning to take part in the Annual Lincolnshire Heritage Open Days between September 11-20, as the spacious nature of the cemetery makes this possible. The Johnson Mausoleum and Chapel will be open over this period.
There is a Facebook page and website to view many photographs showing various aspects of the site and to make contact with the group if you are interested in joining.
