THE RESULTS OF THE WINTER STORMS OF 2013/2014 ON LEVERSTOCK GREEN
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THE LEVERSTOCK GREEN CHRONICLE
an in-depth history of one village in Hertfordshire UK.
For a variety of reasons I can no longer spend the same amount of time as in the past on my research and updating this website, though I DO still explore our local history and continue to find new historic items of interest. e.g.from http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ which now publishes items online.
It is still my intention to update existing pages on the Leverstock Green Chronicle website and to add new information, and I have already made a small start on this.
If you have any information relating to Leverstock Green's history and members of your family who lived here, including photographs, ephemera etc.please contact me so I can arrange a meeting and/or exchange email addresses so I can include your information in my archive of Leverstock Green's history.
Thankyou, Barbara Chapman 24/3/2015
Unfortunately owing to ill-health I was unable to finish posting this page in 2014. Now that I can update this page I feel I may have "lost" certain information, and I also have still to finish going through the Gazette for the period in question (a work currently in progress). If you have any photographs or reminiscences of the effects of the storms at this time in and around Leverstock Green, please do contact me so I can ensure the recorded history is full and accurate.
Any information and/images lent or given to me will be credited to the individuals in question.
Thankyou Barbara Chapman 24/3/2015
KINGS COPSE FLOODING
GREEN LANE & KINGS COPSE FLOODS JANUARY 2014
Photographs © Nick Taylor
Green Lane has flooded badly for years, but over the years various work had been carried out by the Highways Authority so that very severe flooding was now rare. However at this time so much rain fell in a short space of time that the geographical "dry valley" revealed by studying the contours of the area, looked much as it must have done many millions of years previously.
The filed next to Green Lane and Buncefield Lane, which at that time was being developed into a new housing estate, Kings Copse, was also renowned for flooding and local residents had pointed this out many times during the planning procedure prior to developing the estate, and been assured that work had been undertaken to prevent this.
KINGS COPSE FLOODING
During the winter of 2013–14, the British Isles was affected by several winter storms, which culminated in serious coastal damage and widespread persistent flooding. Record breaking winter rainfall led to persistent flooding on the Somerset Levels, with more flooding affecting many parts of the country. The season began with the St Jude Day storm on 28 October causing at least 5 deaths and carried on relentlessly for the next four months. Most days saw official weather warnings issued by the Met. Office. January was officially the wettest month on record for over 250 years.
The severe weather continued through most of February, and even in areas which had not been as severely affected as many, some adverse conditions were experienced including localised flooding, fallen trees and the appearance of sink-holes.
In Leverstock Green we suffered relatively little damage compared to many parts of the country, but nevertheless some problems were experienced as a result of the very heavy rainfall, and the extremely high winds on St. Valentine’s Day.
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Image above © Hightown Homes and taken from their sales brochure. Click here to link to complete brochure.
From LGVA Newsletter, Spring 2014
FLOODING AT KINGS COPSE
LGVA is concerned about the flooding of new houses in Kings Copse off Green Lane during early January. When the development was originally proposed in 2007, LGVA pointed out very strongly that the area had flooded frequently over many years. Both the authorities and the developer gave assurances that the problem was recognised and that measures would be taken to overcome it. Clearly this did not happen and LGVA has been advised that Thames Water, who are responsible for the drainage of storm water, and the developers are taking urgent action to ensure that the flooding does not recur. DBC is actively involved and our local councillors and LGVA will continue to monitor the situation.
HAIL STORMS
We had several hail-storms over the winter of 2013/2014, but the two below on the 3 January and 4 February 2014 respectively were particularly ferocious.
January 3rd, 12:39 to 12:42.
click on the first image to access the gallery.
4 February 2014 11:42 to 11:53.
It suddenly went extremely dark necessitating putting on the lights indoors. On looking out of the window I was fascinated to watch the approach of what turned out to be a very brief, but violent hail-storm. The noise of the stones hitting the lounge windows was phenomenal, but was over very quickly and the hail vanished almost as fast as it had come. Click on the first image in the gallery below to access the rest of the pictures.
ST VALENTINE'S DAY STORM
LEVERSTOCK GREEN VILLAGE HALL LOOSES ITS ROOF!
In the extremely fierce winds experienced during the evening of Feb 14th and overnight there was much superficial damage in the Leverstock Green area including trees down, a sink hole appearing off Woodlane End (technically no longer in Leverstock Green [being Adeyfield ward] but part of the historic Leverstock Green area and the area of study for Leverstock Green Chronicle) and some structural damage, the main casualty being the Village Hall Roof.
On the morning of Sat 15th the sad site of part of the hall roof being on the field was discovered. On inspection Hall Management Chairman Margaret Rayner found that part of the outer roofing felt above the Buglass Room & Kitchen, plus some intermediate insulation, was carried by the wind onto the field at the rear of the building. Also some bricks on the top edge of the building fell down onto the car-park.There did not appear to be any damage within the hall apart from one small leak on the stage, possibly due to the dislodged bricks. The good news was that hall roof is DBC's responsibility.
© Martin Chapman
© Nick Taylor
Having spent all morning trying to get assistance from DBC and HCC, who diverted her to Herts Highways, the latter informed Margaret Rayner that they would do what they could to get someone out to the hall. When they rang and said they were unable to do anything to assist Margaret Rayner rang 101 for advice. It was then lodged as an incident and a police control went to the hall. Before 101 could ring her back the police had evacuated a child's party and closed the hall. A representative from DBC came to the hall later and arranged for the hall carpark side to be boarded off and for a structural engineer to assess the damage at some point.
© Barbara Chapman
© Nick Taylor
The hall was closed for two days with the structural engineer giving the all clear to open the hall on 18th. Sadly two children's parties were booked for the week-end. One was able to be accommodated elsewhere but it was impossible to find a venue for the other.
Notices were put up asking people to take care as work would be going on outside. Fortunatly the main roof had remained intact which allowed bookings to continue in the hall. The biggest concern being the upper rows of brick which might fall into the car park, so that had been fenced off on Feb 16th. Scaffolding was erected in due course and the roof protected with a tarpaulin until the work was completed mid to end of June.
