Avenue of memorial trees to be felled at Devizes church

The memorial avenue, planted in memory of churchgoers at St James’ Church by The Crammer, are set to be felled in order to make a pathway easier for the disabled and parents with children in buggies.

The church authorities have consulted with the families of those who are commemorated by the trees and they have given consent for the felling.

The trees are at least 30 years old and Wiltshire Council has already given permission for them to be cut down. St James, where the vicar is the Rev. Keith Brindle, is now waiting for the green light from the diocese for the chainsaw gang to move in.

In a statement, the parochial church council of St James said: “The churchyard at St James has 30 trees growing within it. These include the large oak tree between the church and The Crammer and several yew trees.

“As the churchyard is a well-used public space, the trees need regular pruning and maintenance to ensure that those people visiting the churchyard and using the pathways through it can do so safely.

“Unfortunately, the avenue of hornbeams alongside the footpath from Church Walk has caused increasing problems with root damage to the footpath and the close planting of the trees creating a dark corridor that can be both slippery and unwelcoming.

“As this path is well used by the public, and provides a level and accessible route to the church and churchyard without any steps, the uneven broken path, dropped leaves and dark no longer make it accessible, especially for less able, disabled and buggy-pushing users.

Tree avenue leading to St James' Church in Devizes

“In light of this the church council has sought advice from experienced tree experts who have advised that pollarding the trees is not a long-term solution and that the species is unsuitable for its location.

“Reluctantly, the church council have decided that in these circumstances, these trees should be felled, allowing the ground currently covered by the canopies to regenerate and opening up the views of the church building from Church Walk that have become increasingly obscured.

“The church has obtained the consent of Wiltshire Council for the works and is currently seeking the necessary permission from the Diocese. The church is committed to replacing the carbon captured by the trees with new planting in a more suitable location.

“The church community values the biodiversity of the churchyard. In recent years, the gaps in the broadleaf hedge along Church Walk have been re-planted and the yew trees have been trimmed to improve their appearance, whilst deadwood has been removed from the oak trees to prolong their life.”