Church Street is currently blocked as a result of a large tree having come down in the high winds from the churchyard of St Lawrence Church yesterday. The tree will not be removed until the high winds have dropped and this may not be for a few days.
Browns Lane and Church Street are currently only accessible from the Guildford Road (A246) to the junction with Crossways. Church Street is only accessible from Lower Road up to the junction with Chapel Hill. Until the tree has been removed please use the access from the Guildford Road via Browns Lane to access the KGV. Please use The Street to travel between the Guildford Road/A246 and Lower Road and Effingham Common Road.
The following article For Whom the Bell Tolls has been written by Effingham resident Stephen Pendrick who has also supplied the accompanying photos
It is 8:00, on Sunday the 25th October and the dead & dying are strown across Brown’s Lane, in the now tranquil village of Effingham.
It is a dreaded Rugby Day and the events of the last 24hrs have turned the area of Brown’s Lane into an unofficial, but total car park, as traffic no longer has the freedom to move through the usual chicane of absentmindedly park vehicles that normally plague this area at this time of the week. Nor, can speeding vehicles drive recklessly around the bend, regardless of oncoming traffic and pedestrians.
Yes, it was the night of tremendous gales, with rumoured 80mhp winds and one of Effingham most rivered majestic and outstanding living citizens, doomed to an early and horrendously hideous death, impaled upon the long spikes of the church railings, was it brought down with all but one of its limbs smashed most viciously. There sprawled and scattered most horribly across both the road and church yard they lay, all crumpled, twisted, and broken in an indescribable entanglement of lifelessness that begs belief.
This, a longstanding member of the community and church had been admired by all that had lived in Effingham for the past 300+ years and was now so canalised, by nature herself, was left in uttermost ruin. But, to be honest that member of the church was rotten to the core and what now remains of them will have to be levelled to the ground for the safety of those that pass by.
The Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus Libani) must have awakened the residents within the adjacent properties, with such a monstrous crashing noise, and yet it was a wonder that neither grave stones, walls, gardens, and properties were damaged by the event as all remained untouched.
The tree was strown with both abundant flower and developing fur cones, the latter taking 10 years to reach full maturity. It was first introduced into Britain in 1638 and in the 18th century widely used by Capability Brown in landscaping. Maybe a young & vibrant Cedar of Lebanon could be planted in its place, once the area has been cleared?
That lament to the fall of our beloved Cedar of Lebanon truly does it justice. A most poetic tribute. And like you I pray that a replacement be planted as soon as possible.
From a sad Church Street resident.