Peter and Brett Moore, residents of the picturesque North Parade Buildings in Bath, describe themselves as “very lucky” after an iconic Boxelder tree toppled just outside their home. The large, historic tree, which had stood as a local landmark for years, fell on the evening of Friday, November 14th, during the fierce winds of Storm Claudia.
Mrs. Moore was inside a room facing the tree when she heard an unusual noise. “Suddenly I could hear something, and the house sort of shook,” she recalled. “It was a strange sound — quieter than I expected. At first, I didn’t realize the tree had fallen.”
The Moores’ home, located at the end of this charming Georgian street lined with listed buildings, narrowly escaped significant damage. “It only just missed the house,” Mrs. Moore said. Her husband added, “The tree was right up against the windows. It could have easily smashed through.” He described the moment as almost providential, saying, “It felt like a God moment — like someone was looking out for us.”
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Others nearby experienced close calls as well. A young girl sitting on a wall beneath the tree moved just in time after hearing a rumble. “I waved at her and asked if she was alright,” Mr. Moore said. Mrs. Moore noted how calm the girl remained despite the danger.
The fallen tree also unsettled the local wildlife. “There was a whole community of rats living there,” Mrs. Moore explained, “and when the tree came down, they all scattered like something out of The Nutcracker.”
Removal of the tree was coordinated by Bath and North East Somerset Council on Wednesday, November 19th. Crews cut the tree into sections with chainsaws, lifting the pieces out with a crane via the narrow pedestrian street behind Marks & Spencer.
While grateful that their home was spared, the Moores will dearly miss the tree’s character, which had long marked the end of North Parade Buildings, located opposite the famous Sally Lunn’s Eating House. “It was a special part of the street’s charm,” Mrs. Moore concluded.