Church Storm Damage

Lighthorne Church – Easter Monday 1905

On Easter Monday, at about noon a very heavy crash was heard in Lighthorne Village. It was at first thought that Mr. Robert Verney (the Rector), in one of his electrical experiments, had blown up his workshop. The villagers were soon on the spot, and it was discovered that a large ash tree in the churchyard had fallen on the Church. Fortunately it fell on the east gable of the north aisle, which checked the force of the impact, or much more damage would have been done. As it was, some of the ridge tiles were displaced, a great number of tiles were shattered, and the gable of the north aisle with two of the crosses were broken, while some of the battlements of the tower were displaced. The work of restoration has begun, but we are afraid that the expense will be considerable. It is only fair to state that the Rector had been warned that the tree was in a dangerous condition.