God, the land and us
During the morning service on 27th April this year, led by the Eco Church Team to mark Earth Day, we were encouraged to think about how we might strengthen our links to the land. One suggestion was to be part of a partnership between the Mint and a local green space, also mentioned in this column last month. The nearest green space to the Mint is St Bartholomew’s Cemetery, situated between St Bartholomew Street and Exe Street.
There has been a cemetery in the area for nearly four hundred years, but the current layout was established in 1837, featuring elaborate catacombs constructed in an Egyptian style. But burial in the catacombs was expensive and rapidly went out of fashion, so it is thought that only 16 people were ever buried there. The graveyard contains many graves including that of Samuel Sebastian Wesley, grandson of Charles, sometime organist at Exeter cathedral, and composer of several tunes in Singing the Faith.
The cemetery has long since been closed for burials. It is now Grade ll listed in Historic England’s Park and Garden Heritage category, and it is visited by Exeter’s Red Coat Guided Tours. If the thought of going into the catacombs doesn’t really appeal, you can see what they’re like in this BBC clip: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0fwgprj.
Following its closure as a cemetery, monuments were removed, and the site was landscaped for public recreational use. Paths were constructed and ornamental trees and shrubs planted, and to this day it is maintained by Exeter City Council. In 2023 Mint member Cllr Diana Moore set up “Friends of St Bartholomew’s Cemetery”, an informal group of interested people with its own Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094661155323.
As the page explains, it’s a not a party-political initiative. The aim of the group is to create connections and share ideas and opportunities on caring for and appreciating the space. So in April this year Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) helped the Friends run a bird-themed morning there, and last year DWT hosted a bat hunt in which 60 people participated. Earlier this year there was also a bluebell planting session and litter-pick. As an Eco Church with little green space of our own, perhaps the Mint could join in such events in the future.
Roger Day.