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Neighbourhood Studies

No. 2 - St Cross & its Surroundings

5 Trees

Horse Chestnut in the cricket field, St Cross Road
Horse Chestnut in the cricket field, St Cross Road

The district is generally well endowed with mature trees, of which there are some notable individual trees and groups:

a    On the south wall of Goodworth House is a very fine Wisteria, and the tall cedar in the garden stands out well seen from the field at the far end of Cripstead Lane.

b    Two very fine old horse chestnut trees in the cricket ground in St Cross Road.

c    A tall Wellingtonia in St Faith's Graveyard, and also smaller yews.

d    Horse chestnuts along Kingsgate Road at Priors Barton.

e    Yew and conifers at St Lawrence House, 94 St Cross Road, and mixed trees at Avian Court.

f    At Mithril, 51 St Cross Road, beech and larch along the boundary with St Cross Road.

g    106-116 St Cross Road: pines and blue conifers behind the houses in Edward Road.

h    Bindon House, 118 St Cross Road: pines, chestnuts and conifers along Mead Road.

i    St Cross Mede: beech and others.

j    The Grange: mixed woodland with some evergreens.

k    Front garden of the Master's house: evergreens including yew and laurel.

l    Back gardens of 55-81 St Cross Road: one or two tall conifers that add interest to the skyline behind these houses.

m    Group of deciduous trees adjoining St Cross Hospital car park.

n    Trees in wetland between the pumping station and Cripstead Lane: willow, poplar, ash etc.

o    Beech clump on the top of St Catherine's Hill.

p    Double row of trees between Bushfield Camp and the north field. These help to screen the campsite from St Catherine's Hill and with the trees along the Clarendon Way form a backcloth to the north field.

q    A tree screen from the Hockley Viaduct following the GWR track bed to Barfield Park-&- Ride. This reduces motorway noise at the southern end and screens the Bar End industrial estate from Palmer Field and the water meadows towards the northern end.

r    Many trees in St Cross Park, including a double row of limes.

North of Barnes Close and the graveyard the number of trees decreases as the density of building increases, although they are by no means absent. Rising ground to the south of Stanmore Lane tends to enhance the value of trees as a back-cloth to the buildings on the west side of St Cross Road. Although the houses in Edward Road and Whiteshute Lane outside the conservation area are of little architectural merit the loss of the blue cedars in these roads would have an adverse effect on the existing conservation area.