Woman disgusted with state of graveyard at St Sebastian’s Church in Great Gonerby but church says ‘we’re doing our best’

A woman says she is devastated at the state a graveyard has been left but church representatives say “we’re doing our best”.

Diana Gee, who has two family plots at St Sebastian’s Church in Great Gonerby, has raised concern over the churchyard, complaining of the overgrown grass that covers most of the headstones.

“It is devastating, my mother-in-law would quite literally be turning in her grave at the state of it,” said Diana.

She added: “The grass is about three feet high and the ground isn’t safe to walk on because there are fallen headstones. I find it totally distasteful.

“It’s absolutely horrendous. Families can’t go and pay their respects. You have to climb over bushes to get them.”

Diana contacted Reverend Sarah Tierney, minister for St Sebastian’s Church, to ask why the grass was so long, why bags of waste were left against the front churchyard wall and questioned the church’s responsibility of the upkeep.

In response to Diana’s concern over the grass, she said it was “never our intention that the grass should grow so long” and “once we know which graves are still visited we will do our best to ensure that there is a safe path to them”.

In response to the bags of waste left against a church wall, she explained it was Big Green Week, which was a “chance for communities to work on a local project to support outside spaces”.

Rev Tierney said a small number of volunteers had cut some of the grass in a bid to create paths to the graves.

In response to questions over the church’s responsibility to ensure people can get to the graves, Rev Tierney clarified South Kesteven District Council has been responsible for the upkeep of the churchyard since 1975.

However, she said the church is keen to work with SKDC on a management plan for the upkeep of the churchyard.

She added: “We have taken our responsibility seriously and sought out professional help so that we can do this to the best of our ability.

“We understand that the churchyard management needs to recognise the many different uses of the space so as we see it there are three priorities.

“These include the need for people to visit family graves, the opportunity for people to walk, sit and relax and we hope that people can come and sit and find tranquillity away from the speed and busyness of our modern world. Also, the opportunity for insects and wild plants to thrive.

“All three are important and we are committed to finding a balance between them.

“Our heart is to work with the village and do our best to make the churchyard a place that blesses all who live here so we are committed to working hard to enable this to happen.”

A spokesperson for SKDC said: “SKDC is the contractor for ground works and we realise that this churchyard is an important area for reflection and contemplation.

"As such, the council is working closely with the church community to meet their wishes to support a sustainable, accessible green space."

Last week, resident Maggie Fenner also raised concern over graves at St Andrew’s Church in Glaston in Rutland, after she discovered volunteers had mistakenly killed off grass and flowers on several graves.

What do you think of the state of the churchyard in Great Gonerby? Let us know in the comments.