The churchyard is surrounded by a retaining boundary wall of mortared stone, some of which is breaking down allowing plants to get a foothold in the crevices. The dry conditions on the top of the southern wall are particularly good for Ox-Eye Daisies, Bird’s Foot Trefoil, Stonecrop, Speedwell and Yarrow. Between the eastern wall and the road is an area of rough damp grassland - an ideal habitat for small mammals such as the Field Vole (or Short-Tailed Vole) Microtus agrestis and Bank Vole Myodes glareolus - both a source of food for hungry owls and birds of prey.

Bumblebees and butterflies...
The churchyard provides everything needed for bumblebee colonies to thrive. Old mouse and vole holes and tussocky grass make perfect nesting sites. Abundant supplies of pollen and nectar provide food for the queen when she comes out of hibernation, and for feeding the young bees. The areas of grass and wild flowers also support a varied population of butterflies including the Common Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni with its distinctive pointed wings, and the Speckled Wood Pararge rhamni attracted by the fruit trees in the orchard opposite the churchyard.

Churchyards have many stories to tell about how people lived in the past. On January 18th 1905, local children were skating on the frozen Gospel Pool at the farm opposite the church. The ice gave way and five of them tragically drowned. A sad reminder of how many families lost children at
a very young age is the grave of three infant sons of the Thelwell family. Brian died aged 7 weeks, Bernard 18 days, and Reggie aged one month. A prominent tomb is that of Lord John Hamner and his wife Georgina. The church was built in 1873 using local Grinshill stone and was entirely
funded by Lord Hanmer who died on 8th March 1881. Born at Chester Races on 8th May 1934, Bernard Hayes is described on his grave as a ‘Travelling Showman’. He died in 2003 and is finally at rest here - unusually, his memorial features his photograph.

Along with our native Hawthorn, English and Irish Yews, you’ll see fine
examples of Robinia (fabulous in flower) and the Corsican Pine
Pinus negra corsicana a variety of the European Black Pine Pinus negra.

Look out for...

	Speckled Wood Butterfly in spring and summer.		WW1 Portland stone war grave of a rifleman.
	The grave of Ian Banks featuring his signature.		Native English and Irish Yew trees.

St John the Baptist, Bettisfield Management Plan - click here