Outrage has swept a small Devon town after church bosses destroyed the gardens of a historic convent - much to the dismay of residents left furious they weren't consulted.
The gardens surrounding Poor Clares convent in Lynton, Devon used to boast age-old trees, ornate bushes and spectacular views as part of an area known to many as 'Little Switzerland'.
But residents have been left devastated after the trees and plants were flattened by church bosses.
A spokesman for the Diocese of Plymouth claimed the trees were becoming overgrown and risked damaging nearby properties, although those living in the town say they are 'absolutely disgusted' the work was carried out without warning.
Residents of the picturesque town of Lynton in Devon have been left devastated after the gardens attached to their local church (grey building bottom right) were destroyed
A close-up picture of the gardens attached to the old convent show workmen destroying the last few trees left in the historic plot
The convent is no longer home to nuns but the attached Most Holy Saviour Church still operates with weekly Masses on Sundays.
Ironically the convent's website features the following quote from St Clare on its homepage: 'Praise God when you see beautiful trees, flowers and bushes.'
Lynton's deputy mayor Tony Meakin is furious about the gardens being destroyed.
He said: 'My house overlooks this piece of land and the first we knew about any work was when a huge team turned up and started chopping everything down - it's completely devastated.
'Unfortunately this bit of land is outside the Exmoor National Park and there were no tree preservation orders on any of the trees.
'Myself and all the neighbouring properties are absolutely disgusted that the church did not contact us to make us aware.
'None of us knew this work was due to be carried out and within a week it was all gone.
'There were some beautiful old trees there - it's absolute hooliganism.
A spokesman for the Diocese of Plymouth claimed the plants in the garden (space outlined in red) were becoming overgrown and risked damaging nearby properties
'The church seem to think they are a law unto themselves - they should have told us what was going on, if only as good neighbours.
'Even members of the church didn't know what was happening. Sadly it's too late to do anything now - I am not happy.'
Andrea Davis who represents Lynton and Lynmouth on Devon County Council goes to the church for mass every Sunday.
She said: 'To say we the catholic community in the Lynton area and the wider community are upset is an understatement.
'None of us at The Holy Saviour community knew anything about this.
'The first I heard of it was when the Deputy Mayor Tony Meakin contacted me - you can imagine how it was after mass on Sunday.'
Lynton's Most Holy Saviour Church, which is at the front of the convent, is pictured here. The gardens back on to the convent
James Wilson, property manager for the Diocese of Plymouth, said the convent is now vacant and needed to be managed in accordance with health and safety policies and insurers requirements.
He added: 'The main concern is that the gardens have and will become more overgrown as there has been no substantive maintenance for some years.
'Indeed many of the trees are overgrown causing tree root damage to pathways and boundary walls as well as the potential for falling branches on the Convent and the neighbouring properties.
'Our fear is that large trees in close proximity to neighbouring houses could cause substantial injury to persons and damage to property.
'To mitigate this risk and provide a safer environment, tree and grounds maintenance workers are now at the Convent and undertaking maintenance work this week.
'I have received one enquiry from a neighbour with regard to noise nuisance and the lack of notice.
'I have advised of the circumstances and apologised for the inconvenience by telephone.'
Ironically the convent's website features the following quote from St Clare on its homepage: 'Praise God when you see beautiful trees, flowers and bushes.'
The Poor Clares came to Lynton in 1904 from Rennes, Brittany, during a period of religious persecution in France when several convents were closed.
They came at the invitation of the Abbess of the Franciscan nuns in Woodchester to seek a suitable place for a new monastery where the other sisters could go if their monastery was closed.
The church is Italianate in design and includes a Renaissance age high altar transported from Rome complete with relics of several martyrs and a sanctuary built with much multi-coloured Italian marble. The chapel, by contrast, is of a much plainer style.
The whole site had to be cut out of the hillside, with the building boasting a first floor cloister garden and enclosed garden, which can be reached from a door leading out of the second floor dormitory.
The sisters moved into their new home on the eve of the feast of St Joseph in 1910 and the monastic enclosure was set up on September 8 that year.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/18/garden-of-historic-poor-clares-convent-in-lynton-devon-destroyed-without-permission/
Main photo article Outrage has swept a small Devon town after church bosses destroyed the gardens of a historic convent – much to the dismay of residents left furious they weren’t consulted.
The gardens surrounding Poor Clares convent in Lynton, Devon used to boast age-old trees, ornate bushes and...
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Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
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