St Crispin Cemetery, by The Greek Church

A large stone planter with green and purple plants sits in front of an old stone church, part of the Hidden Graves Project, with arched windows, a gravel path, and a metal fence. Trees are visible in the background.
A large planter with green and purple flowering plants sits beside a gravel path in a sunny garden, part of the Hidden Graves Project, with grass, trees, and a weeping willow visible in the background.
Large decorative planters filled with flowers and greenery line a gravel path next to a metal fence, marking the site of the Hidden Graves Project, with trees and grass visible in the background.
A large rustic planter filled with a variety of green plants and purple wildflowers sits on a gravel surface, part of the Hidden Graves Project, with a metal trellis and leafy greenery in the background.
A grassy area with a few bare trees and dense green bushes next to an old stone building with arched windows, under a clear blue sky—an atmosphere that hints at the presence of hidden graves nearby.

Last year Upton Parish Council commissioned a topographical and GPR survey to identify the location of those buried in the cemetery gardens of the former St Crispin Hospital. We held a community day to clear vegetation and reveal some of the hidden stones as you can see in our YouTube video of the event: Upton Parish Council Hidden Graves – Apr 24 v3

The Community Day was a great start, but it became clear that we need a more permanent investment in the location to ensure the memory of those buried there is honoured.

Fast forward to Spring 2025 and we are delighted to announce that we were successful in our application to West Northamptonshire Council for S106 funding. This means that works to improve the cemetery gardens could be carried out at no cost to the taxpayer. Our contractor commenced a programme of enhancement work in May.

Not only does the project honour the history of the area, but it also provides residents with an area for quiet walks and contemplation. We are delighted with the results. Originally associated with St Crispin Hospital, the cemetery serves as a memorial for individuals who passed away while receiving care at the hospital.

The project aims to restore and enhance the space, ensuring it remains a respectful and accessible area for the community. Many of the memorial stones were no longer visible, so the work included raising the level and securing each of the memorial stones to reveal them. The pathway through the centre of the space was also levelled and re-surfaced with materials sympathetic to the Conservation Area setting.

We cut back brambles, weeds and intrusive vegetation all along the western boundary, next to the Greek Church, which is a listed building. A weed-suppressing membrane was laid and covered with Cotswold stone to create a stunning backdrop for our planters. We repaired the estate fencing with some in-situ welding by our talented contractors. There are now five beautiful planters, stocked with a carefully selected mix of perennials. Our Councillors have been diligently watering the new plants during the dry season, but once their roots are established, maintenance should become more manageable.

For more information or to volunteer to help with maintenance of this space, please contact Upton Parish Council email clerk@upton-pc.gov.uk