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 ed | Species - Stace | Commmon Name | 1991 | 2015 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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 |