Tree of Endurance

This tree is down the lane that goes past yesterday's Derelict Thursday cottage. It is at the end of a farm track that for many years, lots of villagers used to use to get access to the fields with their dogs. 

One day, an elderly man arrived in a van and parked it under the tree. No idea how he got the van down the track but that's another matter. He took up residence there and didn't leave for about 4 years. One van quickly became two, then he acquired a caravan and a woman. They lived without electricity, running water or any toilet facilities for all those years! The villagers stopped using the track because he had lots of aggressive dogs, which he kept in one of the transit vans. 

We then found out that he had been asked to leave by the farmer who owned the land. He refused but whilst he was away one day, the farmer installed the most enormous gates, so that he couldn't get back down there. 

The farmer kindly allowed him to get what belongings he wanted off his land but he didn't take much with him. The landowner then had the dreadful task of clearing the debris. He took a digger and pushed it up into an colossal pile and set fire to it. This beautiful tree suffered badly from fire damage but luckily survived. 

This evening, the sun was setting and I caught sight of it between the limbs of the tree.