This message is to bring you up-to-date with some exciting happenings at All Saints’ Church, Wootton Courtenay. I am sure you will have all heard by now that All Saints’ Church has been offered, as a gift, the piece of land immediately behind the existing churchyard to allow us to extend it and provide more burial plots for villagers. There is very little space for burials remaining in the current churchyard. We feel that this extension will benefit villagers today and for a number of generations to come who would like to be buried here, on Exmoor, amongst its green rolling hills.
The benefactor has also offered to enclose the extension, in keeping with the current walls. Access will be provided to the extension via a gate in the back wall of the present churchyard. We are planning to plant some trees in the steepest part of the extension land and provide, perhaps, a small memorial garden. We are also thinking of placing a bench there to enable people to enjoy the wonderful view over the top of the church and across the valley. Plaques for the burial of ashes will still be accommodated on the wall at the rear of the churchyard, with space for further plaques on the other side of the wall. As you will have gathered, we are still in the planning stages. There are a number of formal steps still to be taken.
We will need to apply for planning permission from the Exmoor National Park authority for a change of use (pasture to graveyard) together with the necessary permission from the Bath and Wells Diocesan authorities to extend the churchyard. If everything comes together, we hope to have the ceremony of consecration in the summer of next year, 2027.
We will keep you informed of progress, but if you have any questions or comments, please speak with me (Amanda Elliott) or Brian Castle who is helping with the formal processes relating to the diocese.
Amanda Elliott
On behalf of All Saints’ PCC
