Holy Ghost Community Garden

This project concerns improvements to an area within the South View Cemetery of the ruined Holy Ghost Chapel, now managed as a public open space in the town centre of Basingstoke. The ruins are a Scheduled Ancient Monument and date from the 13th century. The Chapel itself has recently undergone improvement with a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
This project will enable four local volunteer groups to work together and create a community garden in a neglected area of the South View Cemetery which is adjacent to the ruins of the Holy Ghost Chapel. This new facility will act as the focus for future local community activities. Whilst centrally located next to the railway station and close to the main shopping centre, the cemetery and ruins are difficult to access, which means relatively few visitors currently use the site. This plan to improve the setting of the Chapel ruin has attracted much support from the town centre. It will increase the public footfall on site and thereby deter petty vandalism.