Salisbury Cathedral meadows depicted in John Constable masterpiece to grow wild again

Clergy encourage return of natural habitats in 'No Mow May' pledge

Salisbury Cathedral's meadows will be allowed to grow wild in a bid to boost climate change efforts. Ash Mills
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Salisbury Cathedral’s meadows, once depicted by English artist John Constable, will be allowed to grow wild in a bid to boost the medieval church’s green credentials.

The cathedral said it will extend its "No Mow May" pledge to protect the environment and encourage the return of endangered flora and fauna.

The UK-wide "No Mow May" campaign, promoted by the Plantlife conservation charity, asks people to lock up their lawnmowers for a month.

Organisers hope the scheme will encourage the return of pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies and reverse a decades-long trend of the loss of flower-rich meadows and pastures.

Salisbury Cathedral, which has promised to go carbon neutral by 2030, has long demonstrated its commitment to environmental causes.

It has installed solar panels on its 13th century cloisters and in 2014 reintroduced endangered peregrine falcons to its tower after a six-decade absence.

With its 123-metre spire, the cathedral is one of Britain's most famous medieval buildings.

Constable's 1830 masterpiece Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows depicts the meadows near the building growing in a wild state.

Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows by John Constable. Wikimedia Commons
Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows by John Constable. Wikimedia Commons

This work, completed after the death of Constable's wife, shows a darker, more turbulent side of the artist who typically opted for more idyllic depictions of the English countryside.

“We are extending our ‘no mow May’, an initiative started by UK environmental charity Plantlife, across the year by leaving parts of the Close unmown in 'corridors' to encourage bees and other insects and wildlife," said Robert Titley, Canon Treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral.

"We're also seeding wild spaces with indigenous flowers, which will require some management to get established, along with our bat, bird, insect and hedgehog boxes, which also form a wildlife route across our land. Close residents are also looking at their own gardens to see how they might work with us."

Earlier this month, the cathedral was given the Gold Eco-Church Gold award by Christian nature conservation charity A Rocha UK for its efforts in tackling climate change.

Left to right, Salisbury Cathedral's Robert Titley and Bishop Nicholas Holtam, and Helen Stephens and Sara Kandiah from A Rocha UK.
Left to right, Salisbury Cathedral's Robert Titley and Bishop Nicholas Holtam, and Helen Stephens and Sara Kandiah from A Rocha UK.

The Bishop of Salisbury, Right Reverend Nicholas Holtam, said he hoped the award would encourage other dioceses who want to adopt similar green initiatives.

"It is really clear as we prepare for the climate talks at Cop26 in Glasgow later this year that the environment needs to play a central part in all of our lives and that it matters hugely from a faith perspective", he said.