Glastonbury Cemetery clearance work nears completion

By Laura Linham 29th Jul 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 1 hour ago

Work to bring Glastonbury Cemetery back to a manageable condition is nearing completion, the town council has said.

The town clerk and assistant town clerk visited the cemetery with the council's specialist contractor on Wednesday, 29 July, to review progress and discuss how the site will be managed in future.

The initial programme of work is now close to completion, after which the grounds will move onto a schedule of regular maintenance.

Grass across the cemetery has been cut, although longer areas have deliberately been left within the footprint of graves.

This is particularly the case around kerb-set graves, where contractors need to take additional care while working.

In older sections of the cemetery, paths have been mown to individual graves while other areas have been left longer to provide more natural spaces for wildlife.

Glastonbury Town Council said newly cut areas could initially appear untidy because of the amount of grass removed.

It expects the appearance of the grounds to improve after three or four regular cuts, as the remaining cuttings break down and rainfall helps the grass recover.

The council said: "It was wonderful to see the wildlife already benefiting from some of the longer grass, with numerous dragonflies dancing across the site during our visit."

Contractors have faced several difficulties during the programme, including the length of the grass placing additional strain on machinery and requiring replacement equipment.

Hot and dry conditions created a further problem during Wednesday's visit when dust from the tinder-dry grass caused a fire in a leaf blower.

The incident meant some paths could not be left as tidy as the council would normally expect.

The council said: "We appreciate everyone's patience while this important work has been carried out. We are looking forward to seeing the cemetery continue to improve over the coming months as regular maintenance takes effect, helping us achieve a respectful balance between well-managed grounds and areas that continue to support nature and biodiversity."

Image caption: Work to bring Glastonbury Cemetery back to a manageable condition is nearing completion.