The wildlife of Arlington churchyard
Since 2017, Arlington village churchyard in East Sussex has been managed by local parishioners to protect and improve habitats and to monitor its biodiversity.
In 2022, Wilder Communities Officer, James Duncan, ran a series of wildlife walks there to showcase gains in biodiversity within the churchyard and surrounding area, courtesy of botanical recorder Helen Proctor, as well as the fantastic conservation work carried out by the local community. They were also an opportunity to drum up local support and gain new volunteers to assist with the ongoing management of the churchyard.
We revisit Arlington churchyard by means of an interview with local naturalist and moth-trapper, Mike Mullis, who tells us about the wildlife now found there.
Tell us about the churchyard habitats
The churchyard at Arlington is ideally placed for a wide variety of wildlife, being located just off a rural country lane meandering through the village. There are several typical country cottage gardens along two sides of the churchyard, whilst to the west and north there are unimproved meadows, mature hedgerows and arable fields. The River Cuckmere flows through the meadows just a couple of hundred metres from the churchyard and Arlington Reservoir is only about 400 metres away.
The churchyard itself is surrounded by native shrubs, especially Blackthorn, which is also abundant in nearby mature hedgerows and field edges. There are also quite a few mature trees including an ornamental Oak and a large Maple, several Yews, a couple of conifers and a good number of native Oaks, the latter along the northern hedgerow. The churchyard ‘meadow’ is thought to have neutral grassland flora and probably dates back to medieval times.
What’s been done to protect or improve the space for nature?
Much of the work has been to reduce the fertility of the soil, and help spread more of the existing meadow flora around the churchyard.
Yellow Rattle seed has been collected from the churchyard and spread around other parts of the meadow to help suppress the more vigorous grasses. Common Knapweed, Burnet Saxifrage and Bird’s-foot Trefoil seed has also been collected and sown in any bare soil patches in other parts of the churchyard.
This has slowly but steadily improved conditions for vital pollinators such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies.
What kinds of animals and plants use the churchyard?
The main flowering plants in the churchyard are Primrose, Lesser Celandine, Lady’s Smock, Cow Parsley and Bluebell in the spring, with Common Knapweed, Ox-eye Daisy, Smooth Hawks-beard and Hogweed in the summer months.
There are also small patches of Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Burnet Saxifrage, Germander Speedwell and Cat’s Ear.
St Pancras has a fine cross-section of wildlife - birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and many types of invertebrate, particularly pollinators. These include: butterflies and moths, dragonflies and damselflies, bees, wasps and hoverflies, bush crickets and grasshoppers.
There are plenty of small mammals in the churchyard too, but apart from fleeting sightings of bats, Moles, Wood Mice, Grey Squirrels, Foxes and the occasional Hedgehog, I’ve yet to record which others we actually have there without setting up a trail-camera overnight. Amphibians include Common Frog and Toad while reptiles are represented by Common Lizard and Slow Worm.
Finally, any surprises?
There have been plenty of surprises, flora and wildlife-wise around the churchyard. Downland flora such as Lady’s Bedstraw has appeared and one plant of Devil’s-bit Scabious flowered in the south meadow in 2023. A chalk woodland plant, Spurge Laurel, has established itself along the southern edge of the churchyard
Uncommon migrant moths Gem and Blair’s Mocha were also recorded in October 2024. Some of the more spectacular common moth species have also been photographed - Eyed, Poplar and Elephant Hawkmoths plus Buff-tip, Great Prominent and Merveille du Jour (to name but a few). Some 210 species of moth have been noted between 2017-2024.
The churchyard bird-list for 2024 contained 54 species including a pair of Hawfinches, several Redwing and a Mistle Thrush, all feeding on Yew berries in the tree closest to the church.
Other interesting churchyard birds include regular Nuthatch and Treecreeper, Firecrest, Red Kite and Kestrel overhead, and a pair of Barn Owls hunting over the rough meadow nearby. Nightingale and Yellowhammer have also been heard close by.
Another welcome surprise in the churchyard was Willow Emerald Damselfly which I photographed basking on Ivy and Blackthorn along the northern hedgerow in September 2024.
All images © Mike Mullis
Comments
Interesting article and I love to see good quality photos to accompany items like this. I’m avoiding cutting a section of my lawn to attract more insects.
17 Apr 2025 11:12:00
Sussex Wildlife Trust:
Great stuff!
Little did I realise as I drank Harvey’s at The Rose Cottage that I was surrounded by such abundant wildlife and dedicated enthusiasts. Well done to you all.
17 Apr 2025 12:13:00
Saw a tiger moth in the pub garden last year
17 Apr 2025 13:01:00
Keep the good work going
17 Apr 2025 13:43:00
I was married there (unfortunately, long hapily divorced), my oldest son was christened there and my mum and dad’s ashes are in the memorial garden by the church door. It’s a beautiful place and the way the graveyard has been allowed to become so natural is just lovely.
17 Apr 2025 17:11:00
What a bounty of wildlife in a country churchyard; it is certainly a hint to look more carefully when we visit such places . The Merveille du Jour moth is exquisite!
17 Apr 2025 19:01:00
Just loved reading this! Thank you!
18 Apr 2025 07:22:00
We loved the lecture and photos. The churchyard has a wonderful amount of creatures enjoying their wild life.
18 Apr 2025 08:24:00
I was overwhelmed to read about so much wonderful wildlife in one small churchyard. I really enjoyed everything about the article and learned so much as well. Thank you.
18 Apr 2025 14:51:00
Happy memories of Church Recording details of the inside of the Church,with Eastbourne Arts Society,and it was always a pleasure to walk through the lichen gate along the churchyard path to the peaceful beauty within this beautiful historic Sussex Church …
18 Apr 2025 15:24:00
Interesting and heartening and thank you for the labels for the photos which are sometimes not given, one has to guess …
18 Apr 2025 16:42:00
Well done Arlington – I love the photos
18 Apr 2025 19:25:00
Congratulations on a wonderful report. Please explain further the need to reduce the fertility of the soil. Why and how?
Sussex Wildlife Trust: Many of our native meadow plants have evolved for soils that are relatively low in nutrients. Where soil has been 'improved' (for example, for gardening or crops) a few species (especially grass) tend to become dominant. Fertility can be reduced by mowing the grass and removing the cuttings, and by introducing Yellow Rattle, which weakens grasses and creates an opportunity for meadow flowers to re-establish.19 Apr 2025 04:40:00
Reading this on Easter Sunday evening in Auckland New Zealand – so lovely to take a “quick visit” to beautiful Britain and relish the ancient buildings, gravestones, and meadows – surviving with such care and respect.
Your Merveille du Jour moth is spectacular. and the Yellowhammer photo is stunning and perfect.
Thank you for such professional work and information.
20 Apr 2025 09:37:00
As a clergyperson I am particularly interested in wildlife in our churchyards. Great article. Thank you.
20 Apr 2025 12:39:00