THE future maintenance of Ross-on-Wye’s historic St Mary’s Churchyard is likely to be undertaken by Herefordshire Council because nobody locally wants to undertake the task.

The Parochial Church Council has decided that the open churchyard should be closed as the burial ground is full. This is the area beyond the track running from the main churchyard gate, from Old Maids Walk / Church Street.

The Parochial Church Council has previously indicated to the Ministry of Justice of its intention of closing the churchyard as it is full with no usable plots for new graves.

Ross Town Council has declined to take on the churchyard despite already carrying out the maintenance of the closed churchyard, which dates back to mediaeval times.

At this week’s Ross Town Council’s meeting, chairman Julian Utting reminded members that the councillors voted at an earlier meeting that they didn’t want to undertake the added responsibility, mainly due to its cost implications.

The clerk stated that as the town council had declined the proposal and if nobody else is interested in taking it on, the responsibility for its upkeep reverts to the local authority.

The clerk warned that if Herefordshire Council take on the responsibility, the authority could invoice the town council for the maintenance work.

Councillor Linden Delves pointed out: “When we talked about this previously, we discussed the condition of the walls. The church noted that these walls were in good condition, however in reality, this is not the case.

“One wall has given way. I wouldn’t want us to be charged for the maintenance of this.”

Cllr Milly Boylan suggested the council take photographs and videos of the churchyard as it is now as a means of documenting the situation.

Cllr Utting concluded: “This is a good idea. We will conduct our own internal survey of the condition of the churchyard as a whole.”