St Peter and St Paul’s Churchyard is a unique green space within the borough. It is only a couple acres in size and was closed to new burials in the 1990s. Since which it has been managed as a nature reserve.

Location

Church Lane, Dagenham RM1 4AJ.

Features

The area surrounding the church is maintained very much as gardens where nature can thrive but the emphasis is on formality.

Further away from the church the gardens give way to an area of meadow where gravestones are found resting among spring and summer flowers.

The long grass, bramble and trees provide the obvious habitats and the old walls and headstones are valuable for lichens and mosses that are not common in the borough.

However, the main importance of the churchyard is for invertebrates. In summer you can find the long grass full of butterflies and crickets and there are lots of flying insects. These insects provide food for bats.

In recent years a kestrel has nested on the church tower and woodpeckers regularly feed on the avenue of lime trees.

A family of foxes live in the churchyard and can often be seen in the early morning and late evening.

Access for disabled users

The churchyard is accessible by wheelchair.