Trees in Churchyards Across Cumbria — A Guide for Parishes and Church Councils

The churchyards of Cumbria are, in a quite literal sense, among the oldest managed landscapes in the county. Many of them have been in continuous use as burial grounds for over a thousand years, and the trees growing in them, some planted deliberately, others self-seeded over centuries, are part of that continuous history in a way that is easy to underestimate.

We carry out tree surveys and tree surgery in churchyards across South Lakeland, the Cartmel Peninsula, the Lune Valley and North Lancashire. Working in these settings brings a particular set of considerations that are different from domestic or commercial tree surgery, and we think it is useful to set out what parish councils and church councils managing churchyard trees should know.

Who is Responsible for Churchyard Trees?

The legal responsibility for the management and maintenance of trees in a churchyard rests primarily with the Parochial Church Council (PCC). This includes the duty to manage any risks posed by trees to churchyard visitors, neighbouring properties and the public highway. The churchyard is the PCC's responsibility in law, and the duty of care that applies to trees on any other land applies equally here.

This means that if a tree in a churchyard fails and causes injury or damage, and it can be demonstrated that the PCC failed to take reasonable steps to identify and manage a foreseeable risk, the PCC may face legal liability. Regular tree inspection and maintenance is therefore not just good practice but a legal and insurance responsibility.

In practice, many smaller rural parishes across Cumbria manage their churchyard trees through a combination of volunteer effort and occasional professional input. This is understandable given the financial constraints facing most PCCs, but it does mean that professional assessments of significant trees are sometimes less frequent than they ought to be.

Tree Preservation Orders in Churchyards

Trees in churchyards can have Tree Preservation Orders just as trees anywhere else can. If a churchyard tree has a TPO, any work beyond dead wood removal requires prior written consent from the local planning authority, which in Cumbria means Westmorland and Furness Council, the Lake District National Park Authority or Lancaster City Council depending on the location.

Equally, if the churchyard falls within a Conservation Area, all trees above the threshold diameter are subject to the six-week notification requirement before any work is carried out. A very large number of churchyards in historic Cumbrian towns and villages are within Conservation Areas, including those in Kendal, Grange-over-Sands, Cartmel, Kirkby Lonsdale, Ulverston and many rural settlements.

We check the TPO and Conservation Area status of all trees as a matter of course on churchyard visits and handle all necessary applications and notifications on behalf of our PCC clients.

Ancient and Veteran Trees in Churchyards

Cumbrian churchyards contain a disproportionate number of ancient and veteran trees, for the straightforward reason that churchyards tend to be left largely undisturbed over long periods and trees within them are rarely removed unless they become dangerous. The ancient yews that are a feature of many Cumbrian churchyards, including those at Cartmel Priory and in numerous village churches across South Lakeland, are the most obvious examples, but many churchyards also contain very old specimens of oak, ash, beech, lime and other species.

Managing ancient and veteran trees in a churchyard context requires particular care. These trees have ecological value in their own right, supporting specialist invertebrate and lichen communities that depend on their age and structural complexity. Management should be conservative, focused on retention and safety management rather than significant pruning or removal, and should be carried out only by arborists with experience of veteran tree work.

We are happy to give an assessment of the age, condition and management needs of significant churchyard trees as part of any survey visit.

Ash Dieback in Churchyards

Ash is one of the most common trees in Cumbrian churchyards, historically planted for its associations with protection and because it is a fast-growing, tolerant species that establishes well in the open conditions of a new churchyard. Ash dieback is now affecting churchyard ash trees across the county, and this is creating a specific challenge for PCCs that we encounter regularly.

A dead or significantly dying ash tree in a churchyard, over paths used by mourners, next to the church building itself, or adjacent to the public road or footpath outside the churchyard wall, is a genuine safety hazard that needs to be assessed and acted on. The structural deterioration of dead ash is rapid, as we describe in detail in our ash dieback safety guide, and the responsibility on the PCC to manage the risk is the same as for any other landowner.

If your churchyard has ash trees that are showing signs of decline, please contact us for an assessment. We work with a number of parishes across Cumbria on ash dieback management and are experienced in carrying out the work in the sensitive context of a churchyard.

Practical Considerations for Churchyard Tree Work

Working in a churchyard brings practical challenges that are different from most other settings. Headstones, memorials and the fabric of the church building itself need to be protected during any tree work. Access for chipping and clearance vehicles is often restricted. Work should ideally be scheduled to avoid disruption to services, funeral gatherings and other churchyard activities.

We take all of these considerations seriously on churchyard jobs. We discuss the practicalities with the churchwarden or PCC representative before starting any work, we protect the monuments and memorial features as standard practice, and we leave the churchyard tidy and respectable after every job. We understand that a churchyard is not just a piece of land but a place of significance to many people, and we work accordingly.

Getting a Churchyard Tree Survey in Cumbria

If your church or parish is responsible for a churchyard with significant trees and you would like a professional assessment of their condition and management needs, we are happy to carry out a survey visit. This typically involves walking the churchyard with the churchwarden, assessing each significant tree, identifying any urgent concerns, and providing written notes on findings and recommendations.

Phone/WhatsApp: 07376804724
Email: enquiries@maxreynoldstreeservices.com

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