Overgrown cemetery gets a big makeover

A Marton cemetery which was so overgrown with weeds that mourners could not get to graves has been spruced-up.
Marton Burial Ground nowMarton Burial Ground now
Marton Burial Ground now

St Paul’s Church parishioner Philip Mather and his former church warden brother John, first decided to clean up the ‘miserable and depressing’ burial ground with the help of volunteers after their father was laid to rest there in 1987.

However, the cemetery became overgrown once more when the group disbanded after eight years, as many of the volunteers either left the area or retired.

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Now the cemetery has a tidier and brighter future as a new gardener has been signed up to cut back the long grass that meant many people struggled to get to their loved ones’ graves.

Marton Burial Ground on Preston New RoadMarton Burial Ground on Preston New Road
Marton Burial Ground on Preston New Road

Mr Mather said: “We had a brilliant group, but people have commitments and after eight years it becomes a lot harder. People were getting older and younger ones were going off to university.”

St Paul’s Church now employs a company to help maintain the burial ground.

The new gardener will take responsibility for removing dead trees, cutting grass and the collecting dead flowers and wreaths, as well as emptying the recently placed rubbish containers so that the ground can remain litter free.

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Signs have also been placed to remind dog owners to pick up after their pets, as complaints had been made about fouling in the area.

Marton Burial Ground on Preston New RoadMarton Burial Ground on Preston New Road
Marton Burial Ground on Preston New Road

Dorothy Mather, treasurer at St Paul’s Church, said: “At last we have got somebody who is willing to come down and cut the grass during the full growing months.

“There’s one or two trees that have been trimmed because they have been overhanging various people’s gardens, and there are one or two other trees that probably need to be looked at.

“It means we will be able to see the headstones of the people that a buried there and find their graves easier.”

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Mr Mather added: “If Marton parishioners, or people with connections to loved ones buried each contributed £10 per month, whatever happens in the ensuing years, this contribution would bring in a yearly sum of £7, 200 which would cover the yearly cost of the gardener for years to come.”