Those who attend church services, especially at Christmas, simply walk through the churchyard without giving it a second glance.

Even in the busiest towns we should not forget that these ancient places have been relatively undisturbed and the wildlife found there had undergone many generations without having to move.

Many churchyards have yew trees, some of which will be hundreds of years old. The leaves, seeds and bark contain a poison called taxine but the punk flesh of the fruits, called arils, are eagerly sought by birds and also by small mammals.

It seems that the seeds themselves are poisonous to humans but not harmful to birds and small mammals.

It also seems the seeds which have passed through the guts of these creatures germinate more easily than those which have not been subjected to digestive enzymes.

Birds associated with yews and other conifers found in churchyards including jays, treecreepers, blackbirds, collared doves and, my favourite, the goldcrest, which is Britain’s smallest breeding bird.

Typical churchyard mammals are the short-tailed vole, field mouse, shrew and the hedgehog.

The latter is still in hibernation at the moment, but the other three are common in churchyards.

I am worried about the hedgehog at the moment because there has been an alarming decline in the population.

More research needs to be done to help protect this delightful mammal.

Colourful jays stay wary

Although rightly described as one of our most wary birds, the jay is very much part of many churchyards.

In these areas they feed on earthworms, spiders, snails and will even eat small mammals which is a surprise to many people.

It will also rob the nests of small birds and eat both eggs and nestlings.

The nest is well hidden and therefore the dense foliage of yew tree in churchyards provides perfect camouflage.

The nest is made of sticks lined with mud, slender roots and feathers which provide a perfect insulation for the eggs. The clutch size varies from five to seven and the young hatch in between two and three weeks, by which time they have grown to the adult size of 34cms (13in). Only one brood is raised, but jays are good parents.

They are becoming more common these days and they are less persecuted.

The colourful feathers were in demand by hat makers.

It is good to see more jays as they are the most colourful and intelligent of the crow family.

Plants used for medicinal reasons

From the time of the monks most religious houses not only attended to the spiritual needs of their flocks, but also provided a medieval health service.

Some of the plants still found in churchyards were originally planted on purpose because of their medicinal properties.

Lesser celandine, for example was once used in the treatment of piles, dandelion for kidney problems and yarrow contained salicilic acid, which we know as aspirin.

It was brewed up and used in the treatment of aches and pains including headaches.

A fascinating project for naturalists would be to visit their local churchyard and list the plants found there. Then they could find out the old medical uses of each plant.