Some Before and After photographs
Like the Lost Gardens of Heligan, Laurel had invaded the area creating an oppressive, dark, tangled jungle, leaving the ancient trees to fight for light.
The baptistry roof although charmingly felted with moss had root ingress from weeds and tree seedlings. With advice from the Heritage Trust the growth was cleared and where it was possible to remortar without damaging the granite a lime mortar was used in keeping with the age of the structure. The memorial plaque was secured with new fixings and the iron window bar was treated to prevent further rust deterioration.
The pond was almost completely obscured and resembled a mangrove swamp with laurel growing all over the island and in the water itself. So little light reached its surface that not even insects ruffled the dark water's surface. We were delighted that within two days of the clearance a Greater Diving Beetle was seen. These creatures discover new habitat by seeing the reflection of the moon on the surface of the water. Now the pond is teeming with life with frogs, toads and newts, damsel and dragonflies in abundance.
Although the clearance has made the road more obvious, the whole length of the site has been planted with a native hedge including Yews, Wild Rose, Hazel and various other species. These are already doing well despite being planted as whips and eventually these will not only screen the road but also provide a haven for wildlife.
The banks around the pond have been stabilised by the building of a slate wall with a couple of seating areas, perfect for pond watching. The central island will eventually be home to some tree ferns; a favourite in old Cornish gardens.
Look over the bridge towards St Austell to get an impression of what the area looked like before the clearance. Also note the remains of a laurel in the structure of the bridge on the after photograph which shows how destructive the plant can be. It was fantastic to uncover the remains of a leat and a sluice gate. The leat continued beside the river all the way along Bodmin Road providing waterwheels with the energy to run numerous mills.
Below is the view from the bridge, then and now.
