Explore the story of Chesham Park’s famed Elm Tree Avenue, from its 1715 origins to its transformations.
The elm trees formed a long avenue stretching 250 yards towards the church. Photos from 1770 show the tall trees in their prime.
A hurricane in 1836 uprooted some large trees, while others became unsafe. William Lowndes ordered them cut down and, in 1845, replaced them with eighty new elms spaced six feet apart.
These new trees became well-loved and often appeared on postcards. Their branches formed a canopy, and a 1916 report called it one of England’s finest, second only to Windsor’s elm avenue.
A local paper printed a poem called “The Golden Avenue” in 1905. Written by “A.C.,” the poem describes the trees and speaks of their beauty through the seasons.
Four elms blew down in 1892, with the crash being heard nearby, but luckily, no one was hurt. In 1927, six trees needed trimming due to dangerous, hanging branches, and a diseased tree fell near the church in 1945.
A forestry officer reported in 1949 that the trees had visible defects and could break in the wind, posing a risk to public safety. He advised removing diseased trees and trimming the others, suggesting maple, lime, or purple beech trees as replacements.
In 1950, the council decided to remove all the trees for safety reasons, planning to replant afterward. Contractors removed 75 elms, despite most being sound, though some were dying or unsafe, and decayed limbs posed a danger; Dutch elm disease might have also been spreading.
The council initially wanted to replant maples, dedicating them to the town’s youth. After removal, the park felt more open, and views improved as shadows disappeared.
However, people liked the park without the trees, so the council changed its plans and only planted nine maples and limes away from play areas. Flower beds lined the old avenue.
Chesham Council considered planting new elms in 1962, but it didn’t happen because Dutch elm disease became widespread, killing many trees by 1975; the elm tree idea resurfaced in 1990, proposing fifty trees.
One council member favored the idea, saddened by the avenue’s loss. Others valued the open park views and didn’t want to lose them, leading to the elm tree plan’s failure.