About this Burial Ground
Greenacres Rainford is a unique, natural cemetery and ceremonial park located on the outskirts of St Helens.
The plan at Greenacres has always been to manage and develop the long term conifer stand and integrate the broadleaf woodland over time. The ground flora and grassland biodiversity has been enhance and the tree canopy opened up.
The aim is to conserve the wood as a native British type, so all trees, shrubs and wildflowers planted are native ones.
In the woodland regeneration programme damaged, dead and diseased trees are removed and poor specimens are thinned out to allow in more light/space for the healthier trees. There have been immediate benefits of self-seeding and improvements in the size, shape and health of our tree stock. In addition, we have increased the variety of species with additional planting.
The following species can be found at Rainford.
Scots Pine, Beech, Elm, Small Leaved Lime, Corsican Pine Sweet Chestnut, Hazel, Mountain Ash, Oak, Hawthorn Sycamore, Birch – Silver & Downy varieties, Wild Cherry, Sycamore, Holly and many more.
With the improvement in tree health, the increase in tree species and the provision of nesting sites, Rainford has seen encouraging growth in bird numbers and types. The following can be seen:
Great Spotted Woodpecker, Crow, Crossbill, Wren, Green Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Goldcrest, Heron, Sparrow Hawk, Great Tit, Blackbird, Nuthatch, Tawny Owl, Mistle thrush, Pied Wagtail, Tree Sparrow, Chaffinch Jay, Wood Pigeon, Tree creeper, Magpie, Robin, Greenfinch and more.
There are also many varieties of wildflowers to be seen in the woodland, for example:
Snowdrops, Wild Daffodils, Wild Primroses, Bluebells, Ground Ivy, Foxglove, Red Campion, Nettles, Ferns and much more.
Many people feel Spring is the best time to visit when the woodland is starting to come back to life and the British Bluebells are beginning to take over the woodland floor again. However, all 4 seasons bring something different and special for visitors to see and we encourage people to just come and walk around this beautiful, tranquil site on Merseyside.
Key Features
- Wildlife Haven
- Wildflower Area
- Peaceful space for quiet reflection
- Good accessibility
Green Acres Rainford
Saint Helens
Visitor Information
Opening Times
Office Opening Times:
Monday to Friday – 9am-5pm
Saturday – 10am–4pm
Sunday – Closed
Burial Ground Opening Times:
Monday to Friday – 9am–4pm
Thursday (May to August Only) 9am-8pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am–4pm
Last entry into the park is 30 minutes prior to the gates closing
Contact details
Please visit the burial ground website.
Accessibility
There is easy access to all the burial areas. However, we do have a golf buggy to ferry families to and from their plot should they need it.
Toilets
Public toilets are available in the main building and are accessible for wheelchair users.
Seating
We have a service hall that seats 85 and wooden benches around the burial ground.
Parking & Transport
There is ample space for car parking at our park, as well as bikes and motorcycles. Disabled parking spaces are available near the buildings.
If you are travelling by train – the nearest railway station on Northern Rail is St Helens, from where a fifteen minutes taxi ride will bring you to the park. There is a taxi rank available outside the station.
Café
There are a number of places to eat in St Helens.
