Lewes piece of history 'rotting away' in council-owned garden

Nick Robinson, a Lewes resident, says a circular stone commemorating a royal visit to Southover Grange Gardens is currently in a ‘terrible condition’.

Nick said: “This piece of history is in terrible condition. It's cracked and badly repaired, it lies on the ground as part of a shambolic ring of broken bricks around the tree, and it’s in danger of further damage.”

The stone celebrates when the then Princess Elizabeth visited the park on Eastport Lane in 1951. The inscribed stone is located on the cross path at the end of the main lawn, sitting at the base of a tulip tree.

Nick continued: “I know it’s just a piece of stone, but it’s an historic piece of stone.

"The council don’t seem interested, anyone putting a ring of bricks around a tree perhaps doesn’t realise that trees grow and will soon splinter the bricks apart.”

The council confirmed the a nearby tree and its roots had impacted the structure of the stone, but believed the elements had ‘inevitably taken their toll’ in the 71 years since the object had been established in the park.

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A spokesperson for the council said officers would inspect the stone again and asses what measures were needed to preserve the artefact.

A council spokesperson said: “Repairs have been carried out in the past to this commemoration and our officers will inspect it again to assess what measures are needed to preserve it for the longer term.”