THE search is on to find the best churchyard in Devon 2020 — with conservation charity the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) inviting entries from churches of all denominations.

This is the third year running that the CPRE has held the competition, which celebrates both the peaceful settings which churches provide and the dedicated people who look after them.

It was a West Devon church — St Andrew’s Church in South Tawton — which won the inaugural CPRE Devon’s Best Churchyard Competition in 2018.

Entries are now invited from church congregations by the end of March.

‘Devon has hundreds of churchyards and they are beautiful places,’ said Penny Mills, director of CPRE Devon. ‘That’s why we believe in celebrating them and celebrating the people that look after them ­— because they are all volunteers and they do a fantastic job.

‘Over hundreds of years, Devon’s churchyards have come to form part of the county’s rich and varied landscape.

‘Some churchyards have changed little over the centuries. They are much more than burial grounds or simply open spaces around church buildings; they are unique and special havens, green sanctuaries for people and wildlife.’

CPRE Devon’s first competition in 2018 attracted 18 entries and the winner was the parish church of St Andrew’s in South Tawton, on the northern fringes of Dartmoor National Park.

The churchyard has far-reaching views of the open moor, although what particularly impressed the judges was all the work done to create an amazing place with a lot of evidence of management for wildlife.

In 2019 the competition attracted even more interest with the number of entries up by a third on the inaugural year. This time around it was East Devon’s turn to triumph, with All Saints’ Church in East Budleigh declared the 2019 winner at a prize-giving reception at Exeter Cathedral.

The awards were presented by the Bishop of Exeter himself, the Rt Rev Robert Atwell. Oak plaques were also awarded to Ilfracombe and Molland, joint runners-up, and to Kingsbridge, Dalwood and Littleham, near Exmouth, who were all highly commended.

The conservation charity hopes this gathering momentum will continue in 2020, with plenty of entries.

‘The judges are not seeking the most pristine or manicured churchyards,’ said a CPRE spokesperson. ‘They are looking for well-managed churchyards which provide a peaceful haven for people and wildlife. Each entry is visited by the judges and assessed on a range of criteria.’