Nature
Adopt a policy of minimal change with regard to nature in the graveyard. For further guidance see Paradise Preserved produced by English Heritage and English Nature
- Trees and hedges should not be cut down unless they are diseased, in danger of toppling or are recent plantings not in keeping with the historic layout or causing damage to the built heritage.
- Lichens have significant heritage value in themselves and can tell us much about the historic environment. Lichens should not be removed without specialist advice from a conservator. For more information about lichen see the British Lichen Society fact sheets.
The above checklists have been adapted from Historic Scotland's Practitioners' Guide to the Conservation of Historic Graveyards.
Links for graveyard and gravestone conservation
Free downloads:
- Sources of funding for graveyard projects free booklet (get download [859K])
- Researching Your Graveyard (get download [2MB])
- Graveyard and Gravestone Electronic Leaflets by Historic Scotland include advice on:
- Working in a Scheduled or Listed Graveyard or Burial Ground [40K]
- Good Practice in Maintaining a Historic Graveyard [41K]
- Looking After Gravestones [37K]
- Health & Safety Guide: Visitors and Owners [148K]
- Health & Safety Guide: Works Teams, Volunteers and Volunteer Surveyors [747K]
- Emergency Measures for Historic Memorials: A Short Guide for Cemetery Managers [1.4MB]
- Historic Scotland Grants in Relation to Graveyards or Burial Grounds [32K]
- Abandoned Structures Within Graveyards [33K]
Use these links to find out more about:
- Guidelines for Cemetery Conservation prepared by the National Trust of Australia (NSW) Natural heritage
- Gravestone weathering
- Recording forms and guidance
- Conservation and Heritage Management guidance from Historic Scotland
- South Carolina's Historic Cemeteries: A Preservation Handbook Example Conservation Plans
See full Conservation of Built Heritage links and downloads
See full Graveyard Management links and resources
See full Gravestone Repair links and resources
See full Conservation of Natural Heritage links and resources
Page last updated August 2006