Harrogate mourner left ‘distressed’ by rubbish and overgrown grass at Stonefall Cemetery

A Harrogate mourner has said the current state of Harrogate’s Stonefall Cemetery is “disgraceful” and has called on the council to introduce more regular upkeep.

Trish Stephenson often goes to the cemetery to visit the grave of her cousin, who died last year.

She says the state of the cemetery is getting worse with overgrown grass in the garden of rest, dry patches and overflowing bins.

She said she has been visiting the cemetery for funerals for years but it is only in recent times she has found conditions getting worse. Her relatives have said the condition makes what should be a “peaceful time” distressing.

Ms Stephenson said:

“I’ve tried to speak to the council before but it doesn’t seem to change anything. The gardeners are cutting the grass every three to four weeks which is clearly not enough.

“It’s disgraceful. People go there to sit with their loved ones but the benches are covered in weeds and there’s litter on the floor. It’s not good enough.”

Areas of uneven and patchy grass at the graveyard

Harrogate Borough Council is responsible for maintenance at the cemetery, as it is for those across the district.

It said it was undertaking a programme to level out areas of its cemeteries that have risen over time and made it harder to cut the grass. A spokesperson said:

“Demand on our teams has understandably been high over the last two years but these works will now be prioritised. The team will visit Stonefall Cemetery in the coming weeks and address any concerns that have been raised.

“Some areas are being left to grow and not mown as we want to encourage biodiversity, attract pollinators and create habitats. We will of course continue to mow the grass along pathways and around gravestones so that mourners can pay their respects to their loved ones.”

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Last year the council came under fire for similar issues at Knaresborough Cemetery and Kirkby Road cemetery in Ripon.

Mourners in Ripon said unmown grass had grown to such a height it was difficult to find and visit graves, and there were overhanging trees and hedges completely obscuring rows of graves.

Jayne Jackson began volunteering at Knaresborough Cemetery after feeling the council wasn’t doing enough. She said grass was  left to grow uncontrollably and tree roots were causing graves to collapse.