Memorial cross survives fire that swept through field during heatwave

When the unprecedented heatwave shattered records across England last month, a fire raged in a field in Kent but miraculously stopped when it reached the edge of a giant memorial cross etched into the earth.

The large cross was carved into the field in memory of the people of Lenham who died in World War I and is white because of the chalky earth. 

The cross spans 61 metres by 21 metres and is maintained by Historic England. 

The names of the fallen from both World Wars were originally recorded on two memorial stones at the site but these have since been moved to a local church. 

Drone footage by The Independent shows a large area of scorched earth that stops right at the tip of the cross.

The footage shows how the fire breached the parameter of the memorial and burnt part of the surrounding lawn but did not burn the cross itself, which remains intact. 

Parish councilor Mike Cockett, speaking in 2017 after the cross was officially registered as a war memorial by Historic England, said it was "always one of the first places we show visitors".

News
Why New Age spirituality isn’t neutral
Why New Age spirituality isn’t neutral

The problem is not the recognition that there is more to life than what we can see; Christianity agrees that there is. The question is where we go looking for answers.

More than one in four US Protestant churchgoers believe some biblical truths become outdated
More than one in four US Protestant churchgoers believe some biblical truths become outdated

US Protestant churchgoers who hold evangelical beliefs are more likely than their non-evangelical counterparts to express confidence in the Bible and its continuing authority, according to new research from Lifeway Research.

Cost of living crisis is ‘busting family budgets and increasing social isolation for children’ - report
Cost of living crisis is ‘busting family budgets and increasing social isolation for children’ - report

Rising living costs are forcing many UK parents to reduce activities for their children and, in some cases, use child benefits to cover household essentials, according to new research from Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG).

Religious freedom in Morocco is ‘substantively limited’, report warns
Religious freedom in Morocco is ‘substantively limited’, report warns

A new report has questioned Morocco’s claims to religious tolerance, arguing that laws relating to Ramadan observance, burial and conversion continue to limit freedom of religion despite constitutional protections.