A FALLING tree smashed the gates and a stone plinth outside St
Peter's, Askham, in Carlisle diocese. The damage
had been caused by a diseased tree, a churchwarden, Rena White,
says. The whole gate was destroyed, together with its stone pillar,
and only the original hinges survived.
The churchyard has a public footpath running through it, and so
rangers from the Lake District National Park came to the rescue.
Ranger Scott Henderson said that it was unusual for his team to get
involved in anything to do with the Church: "However, we are
delighted to be able to help out at St Peter's. Because it was a
rights-of-way issue, we met some of the costs, and that meant the
lovely old church could have identical gates made and installed,
and the stone plinth repaired.
"It was good to see our field teams and local craftsmen coming
together to produce a very impressive job. The gates will provide a
very atmospheric backdrop for all the summer weddings."