This old churchyard stands at the northeastern edge of the old Wimbledon Village and has fine views over Wimbledon Park and down to the River Wandle, with central London in the distance. The churchyard lies at the heart of a series of large houses set in spacious old gardens, important for some locally rare wildlife. The best of these is the Old Rectory House, immediately north of the churchyard. This is the oldest house in Merton borough, renowned as the place where Henry VIII rested when travelling from Nonsuch back to London shortly before his death in 1547.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
St Mary's Churchyard, Wimbledon
Borough: Merton
Grade: Local
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 0.81 ha
Description
Wildlife
The churchyard is notable mainly for a large number of mature trees, including a huge cedar-of-Lebanon, many old yews and some limes and mature hollies. Shrubs include elder and buddleia, and there is some bramble. Much of the area between the gravestones hosts a range of common wildflowers, such as yarrow, cat's-ear and dandelions. Few plants survive from the rural past, but there are some species of interest, including cow parsley, cuckooflower, pendulous sedge, field wood-rush, oxeye daisy, foxglove and a fine display of bulbous buttercup in early spring.The mature trees here, and in the surrounding gardens, bring in a good range of birds, such as long-tailed tit, blackcap and jackdaw.Facilities
Car parking.
Long-tailed tit © Jason Gallier
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