War Memorial Getting A New Look

The yew trees to be cut back next month

The removal of yew trees planted around the upper tier of Turnham Green War Memorial will take place next month.The outer boundary trees will not be affected and will remain as hedging along the memorial site’s railings.

At a recent Friends of Turnham Green meeting, which was attended by members of the British Legion, agreement was made on addressing the issue of the top tier yew trees on the Memorial.

The reason for the removal of the upper tier Yew trees is because the trees have outgrown the site causing restricted access to the Memorial upper platform.
It is thought to be not feasible to significantly reduce the height and width of trees as leaf re-growth will be limited and the result be unsightly or cause the death of the trees. If the yew trees were to be retained, the roots may cause damage to the mound and foundation of the memorial plinth.

Hounslow Council has said it is aware of the significance of the yew trees in both the landscaping character and contribution to local heritage of Turnham Green. With the loss of the yew trees, the council welcomes views on how the setting of the War Memorial can continue to be a fitting place for remembrances.

Last November the Friends of Turnham Green said they were keen to seen work on upgrading the Chiswick War Memorial because they believed it had all but disappeared behind "unkempt and gloomy shrubbery."

The Friends received approval for a new design and seating for the memorial which is on the east side of Turnham Green. There was no proposal to alter the memorial itself but the space around it was to be landscaped with seating. The idea was to provide a place for private contemplation.

However, some locals opposed the design project claiming it would fundamentally alter the 'special sense of place' of the memorial. You can read about that controversy here

The War Memorial, installed in 1921, is an obelisk in unpolished Aberdeen granite and is set with bush shaped Yew trees surrounding the obelisk, with a low mature Yew hedge and metal fencing at the boundary.

January 24, 2015