St. Mary's Church and Churchyard, Little Ilford

Description and Plant List

The Church of St Mary the Virgin in Church Road, Little Ilford, was built as early as the 12th century. In 1724 the chancel was rebuilt, and at the same time a chapel was built on the north side for the Lethullier Family of Aldersbrook. This contains monuments to John Lethullier (d. 1737) and his wife Elizabeth (d. 1724), and to Smart Lethullier (d. 1760) (photo). Until 1938 St Mary's was the parish church of Little Ilford.

There is also a brass to Thomas Heron (d. 1517). The family of Heron held the Aldersbrook Estate for some time. Sir John Heron was keeper of the estate until his death in 1521; he also held lands in Wanstead and it is reputed that he brought herons to the area. The name is still remembered in association with Wanstead. A pane of glass in the old round window of the Church shows a heron. (photo)

TABLE 1. A list of Plants found in St Mary's Churchyard, Little Ilford

Plants recorded in 1991 by Paul Ferris and Richard Baker

Plus those noted in 2015 by Paul Ferris

 

Stace - 2nd edSpecies - StaceCommmon Name19912015Status
33
Dryopteris filix-mas Male Fern  15/07/91 - Not noted in 2015
51
Taxus baccata Yew  15/07/91 28/05/15 Self-seeding
88
Ranunculus repens Creeping Buttercup  15/07/91 28/05/15 On mound at south of church
101
Mahonia aquifolium Oregon Grape  15/07/91 28/05/15 Planted - a large shrub S. of church
114
Ulmus procera English Elm  15/07/91 28/05/15 Regenerating from felled trees.
117
Urtica dioica Nettle  15/07/91 28/05/15 Occasional plants
162
Stellaria media Common Chickweed  15/07/91 28/05/15 Particularly close to N. side of church
168
Sagina procumbens Procumbent Pearlwort  15/07/91 -  
176
Silene latifolia White Campion  15/07/91 -  
186
Polygonum aviculare Knotgrass  15/07/91 -  
191
Rumex acetosa subsp. acetosa Common Sorrel  15/07/91 -  
195
Rumex obtusifolius Broad-Leaved Dock  15/07/91 -  
210
Tilia x europaea (vulgaris) Common Lime  15/07/91 28/05/15 Trees form major part of E. boundary
212 Malva sylvestris Mallow -  28/05/15 Particularly S. of church
220 Viola odorata Sweet Violet  -  28/05/15 Some patches towards S. boundary
227
Populus x canadensis Hybrid Black Poplar  22/07/91 28/05/15 Two large trees SE of church
250
Sisymbrium officinale Hedge Mustard  15/07/91 -  
262
Lunaria annua Honesty  15/07/91 -  
313 Sedum anglicum English Stonecrop  - 28/05/15  Large patch along the west wall of the church
335
Rubus sect. Glandulosus Bramble  15/07/91 28/05/15 Scattered
346 Geum urbanum Wood Avens  - 28/05/15  Scattered
361 Rosa canina Dog Rose  -  28/05/15 Towards S. Boundary
395 Pyracantha coccinea Firethorn  -  28/05/15 Planted - a large shrub E. of church
397
Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn  15/07/91 28/05/15 Two large trees E.of church
412 Vicia sativa Common Vetch  - 28/05/15  A few plants
420
Medicago lupulina Black Medick  15/07/91 28/05/15 Common in lawn
425
Trifolium repens White Clover  15/07/91 - In lawn
444
Epilobium hirsutum Great Willow-herb  15/07/91 -  
446
Epilobium montanum Broad-Leaved Willow-herb  15/07/91 -  
448
Chamerion angustifolium Rosebay Willow-herb  15/07/91 -  
456 Ilex aquifolium Holly -  28/05/15 A large tree near W. edge
461 Euphorbia peplus Petty Spurge -  28/05/15 By W. porch wall
468
Aesculus hippocastanum Horse Chestnut  15/07/91 28/05/15 At least one large tree
470
Acer pseudoplatanus Sycamore  15/07/91 28/05/15 Some large trees, plus many seedlings
482
Geranium molle Dove's-Foot Cranesbill  15/07/91 28/05/15 Frequent in lawn
482
Geranium robertianum Herb Robert  15/07/91 28/05/15 Scattered, with large patch at SE corner of graveyard
490
Hedera helix subsp. helix Ivy  15/07/91 28/05/15 Paricularly at S. boundary, and on many gravestones
501
Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley  15/07/91 28/05/15 Scattered in grassed area and on graves
531
Solanum dulcamara Bittersweet  15/07/91 -  
531
Solanum nigrum Black Nightshade  22/07/91 -  
535
Calystegia silvatica Great Bindweed  15/07/91 -  
548 Pentaglottis sempervirens Green Alkanet   28/05/15  Frequent, particularly near boundaries
559
Ballota nigra ssp. foetida Black Horehound  15/07/91 28/05/15 Scattered, particularly gowing on or by graves
560
Lamium album White Dead-nettle  15/07/91 28/05/15 Scattered
583
Plantago major Great Plantain  15/07/91 28/05/15 Frequent in lawns
584
Plantago lanceolata Ribwort Plantain  15/07/91 28/05/15 Frequent in lawns
585
Buddleja davidii Buddleia  15/07/91 -  
587
Ligustrum ovalifolium Garden Privet  15/07/91 28/05/15 A large shrub to E. of church
602
Veronica serpyllifolia Thyme-leaved Speedwell  15/07/91 -  
604 Veronica arvensis Wall Speedwell -  28/05/15 Scattered by graves and on N. boundary wall
605 eronica hederifolia Ivy-leaved Speedwell -  28/05/15 Close to E. boundary
638 Campanula poss. poscharskyana Creeping Bellflower  -  28/05/15 On brickwork at W. boundary
649
Galium aparine Cleavers  15/07/91 28/05/15 Scattered 
651
Sambucus nigra Elder  15/07/91 28/05/15 A number of shrubs
652
Symphoricarpos albus Snowberry  15/07/91 -  
656 Lonicera sp. Honeysuckle  - 28/05/15  Some plants at E. end of graveyard
678
Cirsium arvense Creeping Thistle  15/07/91 28/05/15 Scattered
686
Lapsana communis subsp. communis Nipplewort  15/07/91 -  
686
Hypochaeris radicata Common Cat's-ear  15/07/91 28/05/15 Common in grass areas
688
Picris echioides Bristly Ox-tongue  22/07/91 -  
689
Sonchus arvensis Corn Sow-thistle  15/07/91 -  
690
Sonchus oleraceus Smooth Sow-thistle  15/07/91 28/05/15 Scattered in grass areas and on graves
698
Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia Dandelion  15/07/91 28/05/15 Scattered in grass area
728
Tanacetum parthenium Feverfew  15/07/91 -  
728
Bellis perennis Daisy  15/07/91 28/05/15 Common in grass areas 
732
Achillea millefolium Yarrow  15/07/91 -  
740
Senecio squalidus Oxford Ragwort  15/07/91 -  
740
Senecio vulgaris Groundsel  22/07/91 -  
852
Lolium perenne Perennial Rye-Grass  15/07/91 -  
858
Poa annua Annual Meadow-grass  15/07/91 28/05/15 Frequent
859
Dactylis glomerata Cock's-Foot  15/07/91 28/05/15 Frequent
864
Arrhenatherum elatius Tall or False Oat-grass  15/07/91 -  
868
Holcus lanatus Yorkshire Fog  15/07/91 -  
874
Agrostis stolonifera Creeping Bent  15/07/91 -  
874
Agrostis capillaris Common or Fine bent  15/07/91 -  
883
Phleum bertolonii Smaller Cat's-tail  15/07/91 -  
895
Hordeum murinum Wall Barley  15/07/91 28/05/15 Scattered patches by graves, and on N. boundary wall

top