Tuesday 15 April 2014

An eyesore at one of Brent's hidden gems

Old St Andrew's Church in Kingsbury dates from the 12th century but a church is believed to have been on the site since Saxon times.  It is Brent's only Grade 1 listed building and has recently bee brought back into use as a place of worship by Brent's Romanian Community. A new tarmac path to the church from Old Church Lane was completed a couple of days ago.


The church yard around the old church is overgrown but kept in check by regular visits from Community Payback. It is quite a nature reserve noted in the Spring for its snowdrops, violets and bluebells. It still has the air of a country church yard in the middle of suburbia.


A long established footpath leads from the church, behind St Andrew's nursery, to St Andrew's Road.


It is as the path wends towards St Andrew's Road that the beguiled visitor is jolted by the sight of a regular fly tip, adjacent to the public right of way, behind the nursery.  Brent Council has been informed about this frequently but the fly tipping continues. It appears to be in 'no man's land' with nobody owning up to responsibility for clearing it up.

A pity, because it spoils one of Brent's hidden gems.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am saddened by this fly-tipping, and the graffiti painted on the side of the church. St Andrew's Old Church is truly one of Brent's hidden gems, and its story reflects much of England's history for the past 900 years. If I may be permitted to "advertise", you can read about it in an illustrated article available in the local history resources collection on the Brent Archives website at: http://www.brent.gov.uk/media/3023979/St%20Andrews%20Old%20Church%20-%20Kingsbury.pdf

Philip Grant,
Wembley History Society.