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The churchyard at St Mary’s Churchyard, Bainton is well known for its spring blooms, and at this time of year, alongside the daffodils and crocus, the ground is carpeted with apricot-coloured sweet violets, delicate squills, and, most strikingly, sweeping drifts of multi-coloured primroses. These primroses have long been a feature of the churchyard, planted each year on the graves of loved ones following the Mothering Sunday service. Over the decades they have cross‑bred and self-seeded, spreading naturally throughout the churchyard and into the borders along village roads and the old “pinfold”.
Their proliferation owes much to the foresight of a former churchwarden, who insisted that the churchyard be left unmown until the end of May—an approach that has allowed the flowers to flourish and establish themselves as a defining feature of the village’s spring landscape.
In celebration of this natural spectacle, the Bainton Primrose Festival was launched in 2022 and has quickly become a highlight of the village calendar. This year’s event promises an array of activities, including displays by local artists, flower‑arranging and children’s art competitions, cream teas, and both guided and self-guided tours of the churchyard. Families can also enjoy a themed treasure hunt, while nature enthusiasts will have the opportunity to join a guided walk around Bainton’s areas of natural interest—including the “Washdyke”, a former sheep dip that has been transformed into a miniature nature reserve.
Timings for the festival are as follows:
1 pm – opens
1.30 pm – Flower arrangement and children’s art judging
1.pm - 3.30 pm – Children’s Treasure Hunt around the churchyard (with prizes!)
2 pm – Nature Walk around the churchyard, pinfold, and butter cross
3 pm – Nature walk around the village
4.30 pm – Palm Sunday service led by the Bishop of Peterborough, the Rt Revd Debbie Sellin. This will take place outside or continue inside St Mary's in the event of inclement weather.