This attractive old churchyard in the centre of Hayes village has a fine wall and grassland flora holding several London notables.
Local Wildlife Site
Accessible Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation
St Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Hayes
Borough: Bromley
Grade: Borough Grade I
Access: Free public access (all/most of site)
Area: 0.85 ha
Description
Wildlife
The grassland is actively managed for its nature conservation interest. The front flint wall supports abundant maidenhair spleenwort, frequent rustyback fern at its only Borough location, and harebell. The gravestones support a good assemblage of lichens, with at least 35 species. There is some acid grassland over the Blackheath pebble beds with a good population of meadow saxifrage, also found sparingly in nearby private lawns. Neutral grassland, attractively left uncut in early summer, has a good diversity of species, including abundant lady's bedstraw with ox-eye daisy, common vetch, hairy tare and bloody crane's-bill, the latter possibly introduced. There is one veteran, while mistletoe grows on hawthorn and slow worms have been reported.Facilities
No information available
View of Hayes Parish Churchyard © Ewa Prokop
Rustyback fern © Mike Waite
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