A man who planted a memorial tree to remember his late wife of 68 years has been told it will be uprooted after it is placed on protected land.
Distraught John Gibson, 87, wanted to honor the memory of his wife Alexandra, who died in 2022, and was offered a tree to plant at the bottom of Dumbarton Castle in Pier Park.
However, two years later he was told that the tree, which John had decorated and placed a time capsule underneath, would have to be dug up and moved after it was found that the tree had encroached on land owned by Historic Environment Scotland.
John’s son David received a phone call last month with the ‘disturbing’ news.
He said: “When my mum passed away we applied for a bench and were told by the council they don’t do that so they suggested a memorial tree.
“They invited my dad to the planting and he put in a time capsule with her photos and memories.
“My dad maintains it and because she loved her garden, it has all her favorite flowers around it, snowdrops and daffodils.
“He also bought a weeder to keep the grass tidy around the tree.
“It’s very disturbing, he still misses my mother terribly, they were together for 68 years.
“We used to call them Batman and Robin or the deadly duo. If you’ve seen one, you’ve seen the other. They were never separated.”
The land where six memorial trees were built in Pier Park is classed as a significant monument and as such Historic Environment Scotland has said the trees will either have to apply for monument status or be moved.
Although West Dunbartonshire Council has confirmed they will now move the trees to a nearby site outside the conservation area, John says this will still be a decision he does not understand.
John said: “We just celebrated our 71st wedding anniversary on November 20.
“I was with my wife when I was at school and she was only two years older than me, I was in love with her.
“My son called me and said they wanted to move the tree.
“There’s nothing to justify digging up that place, it’s strange.
“I put a time capsule under the tree with information about my wife and today’s money, hoping that someone in the future might find it.
Other trees may be the same, may have a casket of ashes of people who were cremated.
Historic Environment Scotland said: “The trees were originally planted in an area which is protected under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as part of a significant national monument and as such requires planning permission.
“We have since been working with West Dunbartonshire Council to find a suitable new location for the trees within Pier Park but outside the planned area.”
West Dunbartonshire Council said: “We regret that four memorial trees mistakenly planted in a conservation area of Pier Park will have to be removed.
“We have applied to plant new trees elsewhere in the park and will undertake this work once permission is granted by Historic Environment Scotland.
“We have apologized directly to the families involved and will continue to communicate with them until the new trees are installed.”
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