A PLAQUE to mark a Teignbridge church’s award for the best churchyard has gone up on display.

All Saints Church in Kenton won the fifth annual Best Churchyard in Devon award 2022, judged by the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England. 

Now the volunteers who look after the churchyard had proudly been able to display the award.

ASK Friends Group, which looks after the church grounds, said: ‘Our plaque for winning Devon’s Best Churchyard 2022 is now on display near the church porch. 

‘Please do come and visit the churchyard as daffodils , primroses and Devon violets are out, and the beautiful magnolia tree to the left of the porch is in bud.’

All Saint Kenton Friends community conservation group was established to manage and conserve the ‘beautiful haven’ for wildlife and plants in the churchyard. 

Several years ago, the church was on the verge of closure. But villagers rallied round to its rescue earl during the Covid pandemic and through their efforts, the church’s green space has become a sanctuary for both people and wildlife. 

The volunteers have also recently been clearing bags of leaves from underneath trees which have revealed lots of primroses.

Bird boxes set up on trees are also welcoming nesting birds. 

Since the Friends group was formed, repairs have also been carried out to the fabric of the building and some of the graves, a new vicar has been appointed.

Last year the CPRE judges said Kenton ‘thoroughly deserved to win’ the award.

Devon CPRE’s Penny Mills said: ‘Just two years ago the church was under threat of closure and the churchyard was a neglected wilderness. 

‘But local people got together and turned around the fortunes of both the church and the churchyard in such a short space of time. 

‘Many small rural churches are in the same situation as Kenton was. 

‘It just goes to show that where there’s a will, there’s a way.’

As well as the winner’s plaque, the Kenton team won £200.

The CPRE said it hoped the annual awards went some way to recognising the volunteers who put in so much hard work as well as sharing ideas.

ASK volunteers said winning the award was an accolade to everyone in the community who had helped bring the church and churchyard back from the brink.

They said they wanted it to be a community space because in 2020, Kenton lost its village shop, Post Office and pub and it would have been a ‘tragedy’ to have lost the church as well.