Wye with Hinxhill parish won our annual Tree of the Year competition. In celebration they chose an Acer x freemanii “Autumn Blaze”.
On a beautiful Spring morning on Churchfield Green, near to the magnificent church, the weather and soil conditions were ideal for planting, and I am pleased to report that the prize tree has had a promising start in life in a notable setting.
Churchfield Green, once glebe land, is now owned and managed by the parish council as a local green space within the Wye conservation area. The site is also legally protected from development as a 1914-1918 Centenary Field, under a covenant with the playing fields charity, Fields in Trust.
The land has layers of significance for Wye. The whole three-acre field is a living memorial to those lives lost at RAF Wye during the Great War. On it stands the village sign which marked the Silver Jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth, and a specimen Oak tree celebrates her Platinum Jubilee.
Churchfield Green has a more surprising royal connection. Helicopters of the Royal Flight used to land there with Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. She visited Wye as Chancellor of the University of London, to confer degrees and doctorates on Wye College students. HRH Princess Anne succeeded her in this role. Generations of excited primary school children can remember lining Churchfield Green to witness this annual event.
The Acer joins many well-grown trees which run along the east and north sides of Churchfield Green. Surprisingly, given their impressive size, these trees were all planted after 1953. They are mainly limes, oaks, wild cherries and Horse Chestnuts. There are also specimen Black Walnut and Liquidamber trees on the west side. The Acer fills a gap on the north-eastern corner. This prime location provides a long and uninterrupted view of the Acer from the southwest, which will enable the tree to display its vivid autumn colours in their full glory.
Although the setting is peaceful now, the choice of Acer “Autumn Blaze” is also a reminder of a lucky escape. The tree is planted close to where an aerial mine detonated in 1943. The high explosive blast destroyed the west window of the church, damaged ten others and brought down the plaster ceiling. Lest we forget, the outcome could have been much worse.
We hope the Acer thrives and provides another feature on Churchfield Green for many years to come.
Written by George Kirby and Richard Bartley