Historic avenue is doomed

They were planted to be a lasting monument to the marmalade magnate who saved Avebury. Now the chainsaws have arrived to cut down a majestic row of 28 horse chestnut trees planted by Alexander Keiller.

Since they were planted in 1937, the row of trees along the main road through the famous Wiltshire village have been as much a landmark for tourists and residents as the unique Neolithic stones themselves.

Now National Trust experts say the trees have fallen victim to bleeding canker, a tree disease that is slowly ravaging horse chestnut trees across the South West. Scientists have discovered a new type of bacteria is causing the disease.

It is sweeping across from the South East to the West Country, and Keiller's famous trees have not escaped the debilitating scourge.

"The crowns and bark are dying and there is the telltale black sticky exudation oozing from the trunks, which sadly indicates the presence of bleeding canker," explained Hilary Makins, the National Trust's head warden for the Avebury estate.

Bleeding canker has always been a low-level threat to horse chestnut trees in Britain, but last spring a Forestry Commission survey revealed the number suffering from it had shot up, prompting many to fear for the future of the autumn ritual of conker matches.

With about three-quarters of chestnuts in the South East of England affected, scientists said their initial research pointed to a different kind of bacterium causing the same symptoms.

Unlike Dutch Elm disease, it is not spread by insects, so scientists are unsure how it does travel or how to stop it.

The Avebury trees first showed signs some time ago, added Ms Makins. "It did look like some of the trees were recovering from the disease or at least holding it in remission but the amount of bark loss and death has made many of the trees even more susceptible to attacks from pests, fungal decay or further infection, which means the branches are more likely to dry out and crack or drop without notice. The height also suggests that they have been very slow growing for trees which are nearly 70 years old.

"This indicates either a poor quality site or other limiting factors putting them under stress."

Keiller planted his avenue in the same year he discovered Avebury's famous avenue of stones. The heir to the great Scottish marmalade empire fell in love with Avebury and embarked on three ambitious summers of digs in the village, pulling up huge stones buried by superstitious medieval villagers, and finding and marking points where others had once stood.

His huge collection of Neolithic artefacts was kept in a museum, and he sold much of the village he had bought to the National Trust in the middle of the war.

But the trees he planted to create an avenue out of the village have not lasted as long as his archaeological work.

"Over the next few years the avenue will be replaced with a different species that's more suited to the site or a mixture of species to create a dense screen," said a National Trust spokesman.

"For the past five years, the trust has been trying to maintain and retain these trees through a programme of selected felling and tree surgery. However, it is now clear that this is unsustainable and the charity has taken the tough decision to fell the remaining 28 trees."