Make No Bones About It, Margravine is Inspirational.

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Cemetery an 'Oasis of Green Tranquility' for wildlife.

If you are one of the hundreds of people who walk through Margravine Cemetery every day to catch a train from Baron's Court tube station you may be interested to learn about the wonderful wildlife that this inspirational space has to offer.

This Victorian cemetery is an oasis of green tranquilty in the heart of the borough. It is rich in wild flowers, home to two species of bats and is regularly visited by rare birds and foxes.

Also known as Hammersmith Cemetery, the site was opened in 1869 in response to need - made more urgent by the outbreak of cholera. It is now closed to burials, apart from the occasional use of private graves.

The cemetery's rich variety of trees attracts at least 25 species of bird, including the great spotted woodpecker, the long tailed tit and the goldfinch.

Recent work on the Cemetery has included planting flowers such as hydrangeas and geraniums, extending hedges, re-tarmaccing the path and painting the gates.

Cllr Paul Bristow, cabinet member for residents' services, said: "Margravine Cemetery is one of several inspirational spaces in the borough and I urge as many people as possible to visit it. It is home to a surprisingly large amount of wildlife and through our ParkLife campaign, we are ensuring that the cemetery is well managed and maintained to the very highest of standards."

"We want residents to feel uplifted and proud of their borough when they walk through inspirational spaces like Margravine Cemetery and we will do all we can to ensure it remains a haven of serenity for years to come. I want to thank the Friends of Margravine Cemetery and local residents for all of the effort they put into the park."

The Friends of Margravine Cemetery was established in 2006 and works to promote the conservation of the park and regularly hold tree walks, bird surveys and tree planting sessions.

July 7, 2009